Aliens vs Predator: A New Home
by Luthinea
Summary: The most unlikely 14 year old is taken to the coldest part of the world... Antarctica There she encounters something straight out of her worst nightmare and her best dream.I don't own AVP! Everyone thank Khalthar for this person is the best beta reader.
1. Temple,Aliens,Predators,Death OH MY!

Why the hell was she here? She hated the cold, hated people, and she really hated being outside. She had been dragged out of the confines of her sanctuary to come here with no choice, or say in the matter. It was either she came along or be sent to jail. Why? Because she's had the audacity to make her home in an abandoned asylum. Weyland's asylum. He had made plans to tear it down and build a manufacturing plant of some kind, but he'd never gotten around to it.

Darting her deep ocean blue eyes around, she saw Mr. Weyland, the head honcho, and sole owner of Weyland Industries, sucking on a glass pipe to get air into his lungs. She knew he was sick. She had known that from the first time she saw him. He could be in bed enjoying a nice warm meal, being taken care of by all the best doctors, and not worrying about a single thing; instead he came here; to this frozen wasteland; Antarctica; what a total moron.

Turning away from him, she stalked away to the hole that had been drilled only an hour ago. Peering down into it, she thought about sliding down to her doom. She imagined her brains splattered on the ground below her and all of her bones broken. Her gloved hand grasped the side of the hole, she would do it; she would slide down to her death.

"Remarkable isn't it, Lilith?" Releasing the side of the hole, she glared at Sebastian with a shrug.

"We'll be going down there soon; in about five minutes. Are you ready?" Sebastian could hardly contain his excitement. It was like watching a kid with a new toy. She rolled her eyes, shrugged her shoulders, and stalked away, with Sebastian staring after her with utter confusion. He'd never understand her.

Soon five minutes had come and gone. She was ready for the descent into the solid ice. Making her way down to where the crew was, she stopped a few feet away so she didn't have to be anywhere near anyone. She had no clue who most of these people were, nor did she care. She didn't want to be here, and she didn't want to be with them.

Weyland, though, was one she knew; it was easy to tell by the way he dressed, all fancy and nice. Sebastian was also easy to identify, because he wouldn't leave her the hell alone. The others, thank god, acted as if she didn't exist.

"Okay, before we go down; you _have_ to listen to me and _do_ as I say. It may mean your life if you don't." The black lady stared directly at her. She would have shot her the bird if Weyland hadn't stepped forward.

"Lex, we all know your rules. We will follow you and your instructions exactly to the letter." If he presumed to be speaking for her, she would rip off his balls and force him to eat them. She didn't care if he was sick.

They made their way to the tunnel and latched themselves on to the sled to get ready to go. As they began their way down, everything was fine, until half way; Weyland slipped and went sliding down to his death, the lucky bastard. She glared angrily at him as he slid by her, jealous that he was on the way to the afterlife.

CLANK

Lex's ice ax had pinned his coat to stop him. After nearly ten minutes, they had him reattached to his life line, with everyone asking him if he was okay. Finally, they were back on their way down.

Nearly an hour, it took them nearly an hour to get down here. She was grouchy and she felt like fighting. She was in the mood for a real long fist fight.

She watched as everyone picked up some equipment from the sled that they took with them and began to walk, with Lex in the lead. At least her name was easy to remember.

The temple fascinated her, beckoned to her, and eagerly she followed its calling.

Upon entering the temple, she noticed a few things. The walls had numerous markings on them and every once in a while she would see statues. It was obvious that Sebastian was fascinated by all of it.

"Amazing, it says here that gods from another world came here for game, and when they would come they expected human sacrifices for the hunt, and…" God did he ever stop talking? She couldn't take it. She ignored the rest of what he said. Walking on, she accidentally stepped on a stone that would wake a monster from anyone's worst nightmare, and invite the predators to come for their hunt.

Upon entering a chamber full of skeletons on slabs of smooth rock beds, she noticed that their chests were ripped open, and they were in a circle. She didn't know how many there were. She didn't bother counting.

It was astounding in her eyes, though. They twinkled with wonder.

Seeing the skeletons made her think of something she had forgotten to do before they arrived. She pulled out a knife. It was a nicely made and well crafted knife. A pocket knife to be exact, its handle was made from a deer's antler, and the blade was pure silver with a skull in the middle of it. The words 'Til You Die' were engraved underneath the skull. Raising her coat sleeve, and knowing that the others would be along any minuet, she made a quick clean cut across her wrist to accompany her other two hundred sixty six cuts.

It would seem that she would've died by now, but amazingly, that hadn't happened yet.

Seeing the deep red of her own blood, she was satisfied and put her knife safely away. She turned around to explore the rest of the chamber, until a hand grabbed her by her shoulders. She was spun around with quite a bit of force and she came face to face with Lex.

"I said 'we are supposed to stay together as a team.' I will not allow a child like you to go wandering around on your own. Do I make myself clear?" She was surprised that Lex could talk to her so calmly even though she knew she was burning on the inside. She couldn't help the smile that adorned her lips.

"This isn't funny you little delinquent. You are to stay with me from now on. You got that?" The smile quickly left her face as she made two rude gestures with both of her middle fingers causing Lex to Smile.

"Good."

After their delightful conversation, the others showed up, joking about what Sebastian had translated. That came to an abrupt halt when they saw the skeletons. Sebastian saw this and came running around the team to get a better look.

"Their chests appear to have been ripped open from the inside out. Like something was in them and forced its way out of them." '_Thank you, captain obvious.'_ She thought as she went to walk away again. A hand on her wrist caused her to stop; at least it wasn't the wrist she had cut.

"You are to remain with me, or wasn't I clear enough." Jerking her wrist away, she folded her arms across her chest and reluctantly stayed in place as the team set about doing whatever the hell they were going to do. One guy threw a glowing stick down a drain to reveal another room. How exciting another room who gives a care, because she sure as hell didn't, but the others didn't seem to think so because Lex came around and started to steer her in the direction of a long set of stairs that they were going to go down.

Wrenching free from Lex she followed Weyland, Sebastian, and two others going down the narrow hallway entering a chamber beneath the chamber to find in front of them a casket type thing. Sebastian was the first to it studying it.

"What is today's date?" Really? She pushed passed Sebastian and started to turn the dials. "WAIT!" Sebastian grabbed her arm but it was too late. The casket slid open revealing strange weapon like things, and unbeknownst to them egg things above had risen up above the dead body's heads, the doors were sliding down, and the crew was fighting to keep them open when Lilith had entered the date, January sixth two thousand twenty one.

The only thing they heard was screaming from above them causing all but one of them to jump. That was the sound of sweet, sweet screaming. Who wouldn't like the sound of it? Well to Lilith it was like a wonderful lullaby. She could listen to it forever.

Until something that looked like air killed one of the men.

A door before them opened they had no choice but to take it; if they didn't they'd all die in that room that had killed on of the guys that was with them. They all ran, but Lilith wanted to walk not caring what they wanted, or that a guy was just killed. To her if she died, then she died; so what? End of story, but Lex grabbed her hand and pulled her along, so she had no other choice, but to follow.

As they ran, Weyland collapsed causing Lex to release Lilith and run back to Weyland. Lex let go of her and ran to his side. He pushed her away. "Go on go before whatever that was gets you."

"I can't just leave you." Lex tugged his arms trying to get him up, but Weyland shoved her away and persisted. "Listen you must go. You have other people who need you. I'm an old man and I'm dying. They're young and need to live." With tears in her eyes, Lex nodded her head and went running towards the others.

That was when it showed itself. Its mask the color of bronze, dreadlocks hung around its face like a deadly curtain, its green and yellowish skin looked almost reptilian, and it had armored chest plating, armor on its legs and thighs, as well as a metal looking kilt around its waist.

She stared intently at it, not paying the others any heed what so ever. She didn't even hear as Lex called her name. She simply just watched as it stared at Weyland, before it simply walked away. But as it did, Weyland tried to put it on fire, making the thing turn back towards him. She watched as it lifted Weyland up and impaled him with a weapon like thing on his wrist that had two blades; again, she thought that the bastard was lucky. She took a step forward, drawing its attention to her. She was mesmerized, such stealth, grace, power, and deadliness. She took another step towards it, hoping to die.

That was until Lex grabbed her arm and had her running again, the sheer nerve of that woman.

In the other part of the chamber, though, the hunt was already on. The eggs that had hatched had claimed their hosts and were now unleashed.

Lex forced her to run and to keep running. Up in front of them, though, a net like thing took another man who she didn't know or care to know, and pinned him to a wall. The net started to tighten against him causing him to scream in pain. Another one of those things that looked like the one chasing them came at him with a long spear and drove it straight through him.

There were only three of them now; her, Lex, and Sebastian. Lex was ahead of them. Wait; if Lex didn't have a hold of her, then why wasn't she turning back dropping to her knees and begging for her death? A smile appeared on her lips as she realized the answer. She was actually having fun for once.

She looked back to see one of the things chasing them. It was the one that had killed Weyland. She wasn't too sure how she could tell. Maybe the way it was smaller than the other one. Who knows?

She looked at it like a game of tag, a deadly game of tag. She turned her head and gave it one of the biggest grins she could. It slowed down when it saw her smiling at it.

She turned back around, wiped the smile off her face, and matched the same pace as Lex. As they ran, the temple began to change and causing them to run faster, the thing hot on their heels.

Lex leaped forwards to avoid falling in a hole that formed underneath her, as well as Lilith and Sebastian.

As they ran, they saw a chamber and the wall sliding up threatening to cut them off from it. They all ran faster including Lilith to reach the room. As they ran, an ear piercing screech echoed off the walls. What it was this time, they didn't want to know.

They were almost there. Lex reached it first crawling through, and making it to the other side. Lilith crawled as fast as she could behind Lex and making it to the other side, then Sebastian started to crawl through until something grabbed his leg.

It was as black as night and as shiny as a pearl. It was almost alien like. They all knew what made that shriek now.

Sebastian kicked at it and screamed. Why couldn't she have been the last one to crawl over?

The thing was ripped away from Sebastian by the other thing and the two battled. Sebastian was on the move again as a deadly dance was going on behind him. He barely made it out, as the wall came up. They watched the deadly dance. The one who killed Weyland knocked the other one down and dug a spear into its head winning the battle of the behemoths. They continued to watch as the winner took something from his belt and flung it towards them. They all ducked, except for Lilith. It flew through the air and whizzed past her hair cutting a piece of her brown hair dyed black off. You could barely tell it was cut.

The thing must have been impressed by this because it walked over to the wall that was between them and looked at her through the tiny boxed hole that was there. It tilted its head to the side and began to purr.

Lilith gave it a sinister little smile as she flipped it off.

That purr quickly changed into a low menacing growl and it shook its head, pointed a finger at her and wagged it back and forth.

This shocked Lilith. It was scolding her and she knew it. She stopped smiling, and glared at him while bringing her other hand up and flipped it off again; this time with both hands. The thing growled louder and deadlier, while pointing a finger at her again… She never got the chance to find out what it was going to do. A stinging slap to the back of the head made sure of that.

"What are you doing?" It was Lex; of course, she would interrupt her fun. Lex looked at the thing. It was now bent over its kill, its mask off. To say it was ugly was an understatement. The thing was downright repulsive. It had four tusks with pointy dagger like teeth on them. Its eyes were sunken in, although, the rich gold color of the eyes was beautiful.

It broke a claw off of the other thing and carved a "T" into its forehead, as it let out a loud roar.

"It's a predator." Lex and Lilith both whipped around to look at Sebastian who was leaned over some writing.

"And apparently the thing he just killed is an alien and it seems as though we have its weapons to fight those aliens off." Now that that is straightened out we can all live happily. Yeah right. "What do you mean?" Lex was now bent over him with a freaked out expression. "I mean if we don't give them to him were dead."

Lilith rolled her eyes.

"We only have three minutes till the temple changes and the only way out is through that door." Sebastian pointed to a slab that had a picture of a sun on it guarded by predator statues that was in front of them. She had no clue when they figured out what time the temple would adjust, but she figured it was when she was flipping the predator off.

Lilith didn't want to run anymore; she just wanted to stay there and see if the thing… no; the predator would kill her.

She turned her attention back to the predator that was pacing the floor, and had its mask back on, which was a total disappointment to Lilith. She smacked a hand on the stone wall getting the predator's undivided attention. She made sure Lex was paying attention to Sebastian because she did not want to get hit in the back of the head again.

Turning back around, she put both hands up on her temple, stuck her tongue out, and crossed her eyes, while tilting her head from side to side, as she wiggled her fingers.

The predator cocked it head to the side and made an almost clicking rumbling noise. Lilith stopped what she was doing for a second as she turned and saw Lex and Sebastian still talking to one another; good. That was good. They only had a minute left before the temple shifted.

Looking back at the predator it was still making that sound, as it approached. It appeared to have been chuckling at her. The predator obviously knew she wanted its attention, and it was giving it to her. She examined its body and saw nothing feminine like so it must be a "he". When she really thought about it, his companion must have been a he too.

She was about to reach her hand out to him knowing he might cut it off, but the temple began to shake. The stone in front of Lilith began to come down and the door was opening. Not wasting any time Lex grabbed Lilith and bolted towards the opening door with Sebastian taking up the rear.

A roar was heard from behind them but they didn't stop. Lex still had a hold of Lilith, as they ran not letting go, even when Lilith tried to free herself.

They ran all the way to a broken bridge that god knows what fall down to your death height it was. Releasing Lilith, Lex turned to Sebastian. "We have to jump across it."

The look on Sebastian's face was enough to make the funny pages. His eyes were practically bulging out of his face, his mouth was opened to his knees, and he was ash white. "Uh, no, no I don't think so." Lex gave him an incredulous look. "Don't tell me you're afraid of heights?" "Well you see about that…" Sebastian rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "You flew out here on a plane." "Hey, planes are safe."

Tired of their bickering she took a running leap to the other side almost missing her goal, her legs hung over the edge. Using her arms, she pulled herself up. Seeing as though they were still fighting she clapped her hands together making Lex and Sebastian stare at her in wide eyed horror, but not nearly as much as when they saw the predator behind them. "We have to go, NOW!"

Lex's legs pumped as she ran and leaped into the air landing on the target without her legs over the edge. Sebastian stared as the predator stalked forward taking steps back. He went to turn around to run. Run he did. He flew over the gap that was separating him, Lex, and Lilith.

Lilith was paying just as much attention to the predator as he was to her. She stuck her tongue out at him and flipped him off with both hands. She watched as he took several steps back. That was when it occurred to her that he was going to jump over to them. That was until he was tackled to the ground by an alien.

Sebastian latched on the edge with his hands trying to pull himself up. Lex threw her back pack at Lilith and ran over to Sebastian.

"Take my hand." Staring at her, he grasped her hand as she tried to pull him up. A black shimmering shadow caught Lex's attention, and she tried harder but the shadow had a hold of his leg, and was pulling him down into the ravine, and Sebastian's eyes widened in horror.

"Lex." Lex wouldn't let go she refused to let go, but that was her undoing. The alien managed to pull Sebastian down and Lex along with him. They were gone. Lilith watched what had happened, but she didn't feel any sadness.

Dropping the back pack Lex threw at her, she walked off allowing a song from the band the One Eyed Dolls to enter her mind…Monster. She knew that the predator was fighting off a horde of aliens, but he wasn't alone, oh no, one of his friends was with him fighting alongside him, he had a bigger bulk and was decorated in skulls, he looked mad and huge, so she walked on.

Unbeknown to her, the predators had watched everything. They saw what happened, they saw her drop the bag that had one of their weapons, and they saw her walk off.

She walked the temple halls for what felt like hours. She was on her guard; to her this was a game of chess mixed with tag; in this game, though, she was the lone queen.

She walked without any direction. This temple was a damned maze, but one that would change every so often. She slumped against the wall to rest and contemplated her mind, that was until a shrieking and a growling sound pierced the air around her.

She shot up from where she was and followed the hall that held the sound. She ran three times to the right and the last time to the left and found a huge chamber the size of two football fields and there in the middle of it all was a predator and an alien standing it off head to head and toe to toe. The predator was leaping from the walls all the while attacking the alien, which was already wounded; it had a grid pattern on its head.

The predator was strongly built, more so than the other two she'd seen, but same color, though it did have one single skull tied to its neck. The predator was able to cut the alien across the chest all the while avoiding the blood. He leapt from the wall east from the alien in an attacking pose. His gauntlet raised with the two blades extended; they glistened with what little light was there, he struck, too bad the alien saw this coming; it dodged to the side using its tail to whip the predator back and into a pillar. He hit it with a sickening thwack causing Lilith to become rigid as she watched the alien attack the predator, who had no time to gather his bearings, with its tail raised.

What was she thinking? She grabbed her knife from her coat pocket and started to charge the alien.

Its tail was raised well over the predator's head and brought it down in a deadly arch.

A force knocked it to its side confusing it as well as the predator; both of them looking around for the force that had dared to attack it.

Her smile was nervous, though she tried not to show it, she had just attacked a creature twice her height. She watched as it gathered itself up looking around for her. She moved slowly in the dark, stealthily, undetected, and silent. She moved up right next to it in the dark while raising her pocket knife high in the air and bringing it down on the beasts hide sinking it deep into its side. It screamed in pain, agonizing, brutal, pain.

Removing the knife, she saw that it was covered in acidic blood, but unharmed.

She should have been paying attention to the thing for it had whipped around hitting her with its talon clawed hand sending her flying through the air hitting a far wall. It was on her in seconds before she had the chance to dodge or move. It was preparing to attack, to kill her, to end her life.

She was prepared, but something unexpected happened at that moment. Well two things actually, one being a bright blue light hitting it dead in center of the head, the next, it was able to survive long enough to get away.

She looked to her left where the shot had originated from. There in the doorway were the two predators she had seen over on the other side of the bridge. Shooting up she darted to the nearest exit, which was forty feet away from her, she never made it; she ran into thin air and stumbled to a halt.

Before her eyes, a predator appeared from thin air. She recognized this one well. This was the one she tormented well mainly teased him when she was with the others.

She darted to the ground in between his legs startling the poor guy, poor? Cha, yeah right. She made him mad. He spun around; his dreads spinning around him as he did so, grabbing her by the hood of her coat lifted her to his eye level and gave a deep threatening growl.

She knew she was dead. Her game had ended much sooner than she wanted. Glaring at the predator, she lifted her right hand and flipped him off. His growl deepened. Hey, if she was going to die she might as well get her kicks.

She was expecting to be impaled, have her neck broken, be decapitated, or anything else that involved death, but no she was tossed over his shoulder like a damned sack of potatoes. His left hand had her pinned by the knees rendering her legs immobile for use.

She was not happy, she was mad, no, she was beyond mad. To say that she was pissed would be an understatement. She grabbed his dreads, pulling them this way and that way, all the while banging her fist into his back. She even went as far as biting him, while ignoring the growl he was giving.

Raising his left hand off her legs, he brought it down onto to her bottom firmly but hard enough that it would hurt all the way through her clothes. He replaced his hand back on the back of her knees.

She felt it; she gasped, but it made her go way over the edge. He did this as they were passing his comrades. The one that was thrown against the pillar made the same sound that her captor made when she had made that face. He was chuckling at this. She glared at him and flipped him off causing him and the other one to go rigid; turning her attention back to the one carrying her she started to claw and bite him. She was relentless. She was so relentless that she drew blood, green blood.

The predator had finally had enough of her behavior. Hadn't anyone taught her manners or for that matter, respect? He stopped dead in his tracks, lifted her off his shoulder only to be met with a rebellious glare; rebellious, angry, and defiant.

He leaned against the wall, but enough to have bent knees; he set her on his right leg trapping her legs with the other, while having his right hand support her where she was. Lifting his left hand, he gave her twelve smacks to her protected bottom; each smack earned a small gasp or a hiss of pain. He didn't use his full strength, but enough strength against a human to make it effective.

His comrades stared at the scene in approval. Landing the twelfth smack, he lifted her back up to meet his gaze and held hers while he shook his head no.

Holding back her tears, she looked away from him, not wanting to meet his gaze after he shook his head. He set her down in front of him; pushed off the wall; and grabbed her, pulling her into a hug.

She went rigid. First, he hits her then he's frigging hugging her! Is he mental or something? She put her hands on his chest and started to try to push him away. She shoved, she pushed, and she tugged; nothing seemed to release his relentless grasp. After a minute, she finally gave up and dropped her hands to her side. He purred when she did so; it was deep, and it almost sounded like 'aw'. After a few minutes of holding her, he picked her up, and cradled her as if she were a baby. Of course, she did struggle then, but a growl from him made her cease immediately. What? Going over his knee once was more than enough for her; she settled down allowing herself to be carried. She'd get her revenge one way…or another


	2. Sometimes, Nightmare are real

Sometimes, Nightmare's Are Real.

**Author's notes: Dear readers I am sorry this has taken so long, but in the end I believe that you will find that it was worth it. Everyone please thank Khalthar for he has helped me since the beginning.**

Even with everything that was going on around her, Lilith was tired. Enough so that in spite of everything she could do to keep her eyes open to watch what was going on around her, the exhaustion eventually overcame her, and while being carried by a Predator, she drifted into the realm of sleep.

She huddled up as close to the water heater as possible for what little warmth could be gained from it, because she was cold. But then, it was always cold down here. She shuddered in renewed terror as she recalled the way her mommy and daddy had put her down here in the basement. Daddy had finally had enough, or at least, that was what he'd told her before locking her down here, after beating her thoroughly. At first, she hadn't thought that being locked down here was so bad. At least she wasn't getting hit everyday, like she had been when she was allowed to live upstairs. Then it started getting worse. Daddy would always tell her how expensive it was to feed her, and started giving her their left over food, but after a few days, he'd forgotten to bring anything down for her. Pure hunger had finally driven her to the top of the stairs where she'd tried the door. Her parents heard her trying to open the door, and both of them had immediately come to discipline her. Only this time, daddy didn't use a belt like her always had before, this time he used his fists.

"What a worthless bitch! All you do is cost us more damned money everyday! If it's not clothes that we have to buy, then it's food! Do you have any idea how much money you waste? Just by God _worthless_!"

She remembered those words that her mother had screamed at her that day. Her mother had been so loud, and so angry, that she'd heard every word, even above her own agonized screams as her father kept hitting her.

She woke with a start, and her head snapped up as she looked around quickly, and saw that she was still being carried by the 'Predator' as Sebastian had them. She didn't think to consider, nor did she care about the weird feeling of relief that flooded through her with that realization, but then, if she _had_ thought about it, she would know that it was because she was no longer with her parents. She took a deep breath to calm down, but she was so exhausted, that within a matter of minutes was again sound asleep.

He couldn't help but notice that both of his brothers had also picked up the scent of the ooman pup's fear while she had been sleeping. He thought it strange that a pup could be afraid while sound asleep, but utterly fearless when awake. He shook his head to put those thoughts out of his mind, and continued to make his way through the pyramid.

That had only been the start of things. She tried to move a little closer to the water heater, to warm up, but she was stopped by the sturdy chain attached to the collar around her neck. She had tried break the chain, and had even tried to turn the collar so she could get to the buckle, but it was no use. Without being able to see it, she hadn't been able to get it undone. She knew they had put the chain on her two years ago, when she had snuck upstairs late one night that daddy forgot to lock the door. She never made it to the back door to run away. She remembered how it felt when the beer bottle had smashed against the back of her head. Daddy had beaten her horribly then, while her mother had watched and laughed. The very next day, her daddy had held her down, while her mother had torn her clothes off, before putting this chain on her.

She went over to the wall to where her marks were. She knew that there were 365 days in a year, and there were 793 marks on the wall. What math she had learned in school told her that it had been two years, two months, and three days since they had put this chain on her. Looking through her swollen and partly closed right eye, she saw the disgusting pile where she would always go to the bathroom, and knew that she had been down here too long because she could no longer smell something that she knew was supposed to stink. Once again, she reached up with her left hand to feel her face. The entire left side was so sore that she couldn't stand to tough it, and that eye was still swollen shut. She let out a ragged breath of fear as she wondered when they would come back. Some days they gave her something to eat, other days, they wouldn't give her anything except reasons to scream in pain while her father beat her, but they _always_ gave her a reason to be afraid.

A muffled sob of pure terror escaped her split and swollen lips when she heard the basement door being unlocked. She knew that they were coming back. Why were they coming back so soon? They had just been down here the day before yesterday, so why would they come back now? Lilith didn't know the answer to that, but she did know that no matter how much she begged them, or how many times she promised to be good, they always made her hurt more than the last time.

Lilith felt her heart freeze in her bare chest when she saw the malicious smiles on their faces. They had never smiled before. Even when her mother was laughing at the spray of blood by her father's fists, there had never been a smile, but now there was. Perhaps it was a primeval instinct, or maybe it was subconscious knowledge that made her move as far from them as she could. She didn't know what it was, but something told her that she needed to get away from them fast! She didn't even stop to think about the fact that she had just slid her way through her own piles of feces and puddles of urine in her futile attempt to escape her parents, but she had. Her father laughed as if he'd just heard the funniest joke in the world, and tossed something on the floor next to her.

"Pick it up, you worthless waste of money! What the hell are you waiting for? That's your Christmas present, and it's the last one you'll ever get from us!" Her mother had told her.

With one eye completely swollen shut, and the other partially closed from the beatings her father had given her two days ago, she couldn't tell what it was. She reached out, picked it up, and brought it close to her face so she could see it. Four inches of solid horn, carved from a single piece of a deer's antler, the pocket knife was truly beautiful to see. When she opened it slowly because her right arm hurt too much to move for some reason, she saw that the blade was a beautifully made piece of silver. Then she saw the skull etched or engraved deep in the metal of the blade. Turning it slightly, the light in the basement hit it just right and she was able to read what was underneath it. 'Till You Die!'

Not understanding why they would give her something like this, Lilith looked up at her mother and father, with a silent question on her battered face.

"Now, you're going to take that knife, and slash both of your wrists, and we're going to watch!" Her mother told her in a tone so happy that she sounded like she'd just won the lottery. "If you don't do it, then your father will beat you again. Once he gets tired, I'll beat you with a belt until _I_ get tired! Then he'll start all over again! So they'd _better_ be good ones too!"

A wordless cry of pure animalistic terror escaped her as she quickly slashed her right wrist. She had some trouble holding the knife in her right hand, but somehow, she managed. She had to move her left arm while holding her right still in order to actually slash her left wrist, but she'd done it. With both arms now bleeding freely, she looked back up at her parents to see them making out in front of her. She didn't understand why she had to be hurt and suffer like this, and she didn't know why they wouldn't just let her run away and never come back, but this was how it was. This was her life now. This was what was expected from her.

With a wordless gasp of fear, she opened her eyes and saw that she was still in the arms of the same Predator that had spanked her. She would have snarled in anger, but she knew that it would only make this Predator mad, which would probably make him spank her again, and she certainly didn't want that. She was so tired, that she shut her eyes and tried to doze back off.

She never bothered to make anymore marks on the wall, because she knew exactly how many where there. Now all she had to do was add that number to the scars on either arm, and she would know how long this chain had been on her neck. Two hundred and sixty one. That's how many times her parents had made her slash her wrists. That was how many days in a row, they had come down to watch her do it. Last month had been the start of something new though. Last month, her mother had given her a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.

After being instructed in how to light the cigarette, she had done as she was told. Then her father had told her to use the cigarette to burn her legs. She had to put the coal against her leg and count to thirty, then puff on it ten times before moving it to a new spot, and keep repeating that until the cigarette went out. Once the cigarette was finished, they still made her slash her wrists.

She didn't know why she was so worthless, but it just _had_ to be true! After all, she was told everyday that she was worthless and expensive too. She sat there on the floor near the large pile of her own bodily wastes and wondered if there might be some way that she could stop being so worthless, so that her parents would stop making her hurt so much.

This time, her parents were stumbling as they came down the stairs. Lilith shrank back away from them in total fear. They had just left a while ago, so why had they come back? What would they make her do now?

"Time for you to have a cigarette, you worthless bitch!" Her mother told her as she stuck her right hand down her own shorts and started doing something between her legs.

Lilith did exactly as she was told. She knew that she wasn't allowed to make any sounds, or even cry while she was burning or cutting herself, or she'd get a horrible beating from both of her parents. The sickly stench of burning flesh assailed her nostrils as she held the lit cigarette against her right leg. Flakes of dried blood fell from her shaking wrist as she struggled to keep tears out of her eyes, so she wouldn't get hit anymore.

"Just fucking _worthless_! Hell, I bet she'd even be a worthless fuck!" Her mother snarled drunkenly.

"You know… I think it's time we found out, don't you honey?" Her mother smirked suddenly, before lunging forward and grabbing her wrists.

She couldn't help but cry out in pain as her mother opened more than a dozen of the cuts on each of her wrists. That was when she realized that she'd been so focused on her mother that she'd completely forgotten to keep an eye on her father. She turned her head back to face him and saw that he'd taken off all of his clothes. He grabbed her legs forcing them apart, and brutally shoved that thing between his legs into her. So intense was the pain of the dry insertion that she couldn't even scream when it felt like she was being ripped in two from the inside out. Her mother was behind her, holding her in place with a knee in her back while hanging onto her now bleeding wrists from the reopened wounds. Then finally, a scream left her mouth as tears of agony fell down her face when her father began pulling himself out of her. That was when she thought that whatever was being done to her was over, but she was wrong.

Her father had continued hurting her inside for a long time. Then he grunted and pulled that painful thing out of her, and even through her sobbing tears of agony, she couldn't help but notice that her blood was all over it. Her father then laughed and said that he wasn't even _close_ to being done! He had pinned her legs with his and maneuvered his body so that he could stick that throbbing and twitching thing inside her again. But this time he stuck it in a different place.

Lilith screamed until her throat was raw and sore, but her father didn't stop his brutally agonizing method of anally raping her still developing body, and her mother wouldn't quit laughing. Then her whole world exploded in fresh pain from another source as her father began using his free hands to pound on her sides and stomach with his fists.

"No daddy _please_! Please stop! I'll do anything! I'll leave and never come back… _anything_… please! Just… just please don't hit me anymore, _please_!" With that pleading shout, Lilith jerked awake to realize that she was still being carried by the Predator.

While he didn't know how to speak the ooman language, his mask was able to translate the ooman tongue into a text that he could read. What he saw on his HUD froze the blood in his veins. The _very_ strong scent of fear emanating from the sleeping pup was bad enough, but those words that the little female had screamed in he what knew was desperation before waking, told him that this pup should be taken to the Elders.

She froze in place in his arms not being able to grasp the fact that she had actually spoken after only a few days. She had never wanted to speak again. Not to anyone, and not about anything. She knew that she was still worthless, because nothing had changed. Well, she was now out of that basement, but otherwise, everything was still the same, and she knew that if she said anything at all, that these Predators would somehow learn just how worthless she was, and then they would start hurting her just like her parents had done.

Getting over the shock of what she had done her eyes grew cold and angry. She glared at the Predator before she leapt out of his grasp and ran a short ways off. She turned and glared at the strange looking alien, and when it took a step towards her, she took one back away from it.

He looked at the female ooman that reached no higher than the bottom of his ribs. He once again found it strange that this pup only smelled of anger now that she was awake. Taking another step towards the little ooman, he saw her step back again. A warning growl left his mouth, and he made a deliberate motion for the pup to return to him. When the ooman's face tightened as she shook her head negatively, he heard his brothers also let out warning growls.

The ooman pup turned her face towards each of his brothers before looking back at him. Then she stepped _slightly_ closer, but made it clear that she wanted to keep her distance. Suddenly, the pup's face changed and it began looking around almost frantically. The sounds of plasma cannons were heard as his brothers activated them. Then, the ooman pup changed everything, by grabbing herself between her legs and making _very_ clear gestures that were easily understood. He poked his head into a nearby room and looked around. Seeing that there were no other exits, he motioned for the pup to enter, while he, and his two brothers waited outside.

As soon as she saw that she was alone in the room, Lilith released a deep breath of relief. She quickly pulled out the pocket knife and raised the sleeve of her coat. A quick but somewhat deep slash instantly appeared as she drew the razor sharp edge across her wrist. A deep sigh left her mouth as she once again felt the sensation of pain. After more than four long years, it was something that was known; her pain was a constant companion, and it was now the only thing that was familiar to her. Besides, she knew that she deserved every bit of it.

When some time had passed, and he still didn't hear any sounds of the female either removing her clothing or making her bodily waste, he took a quick glance into the room to make certain that nothing had happened to the little pup. What he saw was the pup just standing in the middle of the room with her eyes closed. Without making a single sound, he moved forward with a silent and deadly grace. He reached out and grabbed the pup by her arm, only to have the pup begin to struggle to be released. He shook his head angrily, and growled a warning before he shifted his grip on her arm. A sudden cry of pain from the pup made him look at her arm in curiosity. He knew he hadn't grabbed her with enough force to cause any harm, but when he looked at the limb in his grasp, he couldn't help but notice the numerous wounds on that limb.

Lilith instantly stopped struggling when the Predator slowly tilted his head down, and started looking at her now bare wrist. Her struggles had caused her coat sleeve to slide down towards her elbow, and now, several dozen of her cuts were clearly visible to the gaze of the Predator. That was when she heard it. This was the softest and quietest growl that this Predator had made yet, but she knew that it was also the deadliest one as well. As she stared in shock at the thing while wondering what he would do to her next, she noticed the other two enter the room and begin looking straight at her wrist.

She hated being stared at and now they knew her shameful secret, taking a deep breath she punched the predator across his mask shocking him into letting go. She ran to the farthest side of the room. The predators kept their deadly gaze on her. The one who looked at her wrist approached her, but the unexpected happened…the temple shifted and a wall came up that separated them. She was now alone, and her only way out was a dark tunnel leading down to her left


	3. A Fight For A Life

Which way should she go this time, left, right, or straight?

Talk about confusion. She had been going straight for about ten minutes now. She didn't care about where she was, or even where she might be heading. She was just thankful that the predators where behind her, and now in her past…or so she hoped. She placed her hand over her eyes, she spun around three times, stopped, opened her eyes and looked to where she was pointing; the right.

The Predator banged on the wall in helpless rage. He even tried using his plasma blaster to try to break through the accursed barrier that blocked his path, but nothing worked. Numerous questions ran through his mind. Who could have hurt her? When could it have happened? Why had they done it? Why hadn't she at least complained or let them know that she was injured? Why hadn't they noticed those injuries before? Why, why, why, why? He was so focused on his thoughts and the effort of trying to get to the young pup that he didn't even notice that his brethren had pulled him away from the wall until a punch to his midsection snapped him back to the reality of the situation.

They didn't have to use words to say that they too were worried. It was evident their posture, bodily tension, and their very stance. As they stood staring at each other, they suddenly realized that they had no other choice. Their Chiva had to end, and they had to find the pup quickly, they had to contact the Elders to ask for help in finding the ooman pup. They knew that should anything happen to that pup that they would then be forever stripped of all honor for allowing a pup to come to harm.

She should have picked a different path, but how was she to know that a horde of aliens would be at the end of the tunnel instead of light. Her feet slapped the ground beneath her; her legs were starting to feel like jelly. She knew she had to keep running. She couldn't stop. A low rumbling grinding sound caught her attention. She hoped it was either the aliens behind her or her stomach.

So much for hope.

The temple started to shift around her. More passages were revealed, and a wall was coming up fast. Ether it was her imagination or it was moving towards her at a neck breaking speed. She ran into the nearest passage on her left and immediately saw that she had narrowly avoided being crushed by the closing passage. The last thing she heard was roaring and screeching coming from the outside.

A red light flashed as it signaled an incoming message.

He walked in silent powerful strides toward the bridge his long red cape flowed elegantly behind him, his mandibles twitched in annoyance. A door snapped open revealing a small screen. There was no one else in here, because it was his job to ensure that the Chiva went as planned. He pressed a small round button and three holographic figures popped up.

Something was terribly wrong.

She didn't mean to but she did it anyway. Her eyes slid closed, exhaustion coming over her like a dark gray cloud. She told herself time and time again as she rested to catch her breath, _"Don't fall asleep. You have to move soon. You have to move."_Every effort she made to keep her eyes open was useless. In spite of everything going on around her; in spite of the fact that she could quite easily be killed while dozing off, everything had finally caught up to her, and her eyes closed as she fell into slumber.

As he reviewed the message, he felt his blood run cold. _'What the pauk was a_pup_doing in the Chiva structure?'_ He thought angrily, as he ran full speed for the exit ramp. Placing his battle mask securely in place, he quickly made his way to the entrance that had been drilled deep into the ice. Knowing that there was no time to be wasted, he simply jumped into the drilled hole and braced his body so that he remained on his feet as he careened downwards. At first he gained speed during his slide, but that was to be expected. His body soon approached the terminal velocity of this particular planet. He knew that he wouldn't quite reach the full speed, because of the friction created by both the air, and the ice as well. Under any other circumstances he might have thoroughly enjoyed this particular stunt. After all, it wasn't often that one attained such speeds on their own feet, but as it was, there was too much responsibility resting on his shoulders for him to take any pleasure from this trip. As soon as the sensors in his mask told him that he was nearing the bottom, he extended the blades on his right wrist twice, and drove them deep into the ice behind him to slow his incredible rate of descent.

Instead of actually coming to a complete stop, he only slowed down enough that he was able to leap into a dead run once he reached the bottom of the ice tube. Strong powerful legs were pumping rapidly as he ran. Upon entering the actual pyramid, he immediately used restricted access codes to activate all of the sensors contained inside the structure. Instantly, he was able to see the exact location of a few oomans, quite a few hard meat drones, along with the three warriors who were taking their Chiva. He began the process of cycling through the various sensors with still living oomans in their immediate range and was quickly able to determine which was the ooman pup. With his targets location now known, he was able to start heading in that direction.

She was once happy, laughing, playing, and she'd had friends, but all that had changed on the day her father lost his job and went into bankruptcy. She was the one to blame for all of it.

A belt came flying at her, hard and fast as it smashed into her face sending her falling into the door. "Look at this. _Look_! You cost us $484,286.92. Do you have any idea how much money we could have saved if you weren't born? _Do you_?" The paper flew in and out of her face. Tears slid from her eyes. Her father had never once hit her or even yelled at her before.

"I'm sorry." Her voice was barely above a whisper. Her father's face had turned into something unimaginable as it was twisted by the hate that she could now see there. His voice held more venom than rattlesnake's fangs.

"Sorry, you're sorry. _Sorry doesn't pay the bills; sorry doesn't put food in my mouth; sorry is a worthless excuse of what you are! A worthless mistake!_" His words hit her even harder than his belt.

With a scowl on his face he grabbed a fist full of her hair and dragged her down the hall into the kitchen, opened the basement door and threw her in. She hit every stair going down. It was a wonder no bones were broken. She sobbed as she stared up at her father with a mix of confusion and pain.

"_You will stay down there where all worthless_, _bad_, _selfish_, _bastard mistake kids go for the rest of their lives… including yours_!" Her father yelled at her before he slammed the door shut leaving her alone in the dark.

She had never realized how cold it was down here and her skirt and tank top did little to help her against it. She scuttled over to the water heater to absorb the slight warmth it was giving off. She was down there for a two whole days with no food and no water then on the third day the door opened. It was her mother she wanted to run into her arms and absorb all the comfort she had to give.

Her mother approached her with a smile playing on her lips. Lilith stood.

"Strip!"

The command confused her.

"I said _strip_!" Her mother's right hand made solid contact with the soft flesh of her left cheek. Not wanting to anger her mother any more than she had, she quickly did as she was told, before turning to face her mother while standing there fully naked.

Her mother threw her against the wall and began removing her belt. Lilith looked back with pure terror in her eyes. She ran. She ran up the basement stairs and into the house only to be caught by her father and dragged back down with her kicking and screaming.

"Shut up!" She didn't. _She couldn't_! She somehow knew what was about to happen, and it terrified her more than anything she'd ever experienced.

"_Shut up_!" Her father screamed as he slammed her head into the wall dazing her. She didn't even notice that she was down the stairs again being held by two strong hands holding her up right, but she did notice the searing burn in her back. She screamed.

"Oh dear, do you think we should gag her." Her mom sounded positively thrilled. She couldn't comprehend anything. Not even when a small red ball was forced in her mouth and tied in the back of her head.

"That should keep you quiet."

The burning sensation was back and now she knew what it was; the belt.

"_You have cost us a grand total of_ _$484,286.92!_ _You're going to get the same amount… plus double!_" He father yelled in rage as he kept swinging the belt with every bit of strength he had. The pain was too much. Her skin felt raw after the twentieth hit, by the fiftieth she had passed out.

Deep ocean blue eyes snapped opened. She remembered that horrible day all too clearly. She remembered the living nightmare of waking up in a sticky pool of her own drying blood. They had obviously kept beating her even after she had passed out.

Getting to her feet she strolled aimlessly through the tunnel.

"_Maybe it would be best to simply die. Why should I try to stay alive, when I have nothing to live for anyway?"_That was the last thought in her mind as something black and deadly attacked her from above. Perhaps the worst part of the attack was that she didn't even bother, or care enough, to scream.

He navigated the ever changing corridors, rooms, and tunnels of the temple as fast as he possibly could. Time seemed to drag out forever, and each step he took seemed to last a lifetime. A cold deadly rage began to burn its way through every fiber of his being as one instant was drug ever so slowly into the next. Then an unearthly roar of pure fury left his throat when the temple's sensors showed that one of the drones now had the pup in its possession. A rage with an intensity that he'd never experienced before allowed him to push his body to even greater limits as he actually increased his speed.

The myriad sensors hidden within the temple showed him that the ooman pup was still alive for now, and he could only hope that such would still be the case when he finally caught up to the pair. With his attention divided between where he actually was, where he needed to go, the map on his HUD, and the sensor feed on his HUD; it would have been nothing for him to have missed seeing the two silent forms as they slid out of the darkness in front of him. The surprising thing was that in spite of dividing his attention in several directions at once, he was _far_ too experienced to make such an amateur mistake as to fail to pay attention to what was around him.

Without a single falter or pause in his run, he swerved to his right and slammed into the first of the two deadly drones with a roar that seemed to shake the corridor as he double extended the claws on his right gauntlet. The drone caught in the body slam was forced back to stagger into the second creature. The Elder wasted no time in using that to his advantage as he drove the twin blades of his claws into the chest of the second beast, while using sheer momentum to spin past both creatures. As he turned one hundred and eighty degrees, he triggered the combi-stick in his left hand to full extension, and grunted in satisfaction as the spear head on the end, plunged into the neck and spine of the first drone which was still trying to regain its balance after being body slammed.

The Elder was no young warrior. He knew that both creatures would be dead in mere seconds, and though they would each have made fine trophies; there was no time for such things. Abandoning the two drones to die, he prepared to continue without a second thought about them. The only regret in his mind was the fact that these drones had caused him to slow down, and waste precious time. Completing his spin, he resumed his mad dash through the temple as he sought to intercept the drone that now had the ooman pup in its clutches. One corridor after another, right, then left, he ran with all the fury of the Dark Hunter himself, as he got closer to what he sought.

There wasn't a single thought of even _trying_ to resist as the sleek black drone snatched her from the floor. As the creature began to cart her off somewhere like she was nothing more than a sack of potatoes, the only thing in her mind was an eerie sense of relief that it would all soon be over. She would soon be dead, and then, she wouldn't feel any more pain. There wouldn't be any more beatings, no more cuts, no more burns, no more spankings, no more anything. There would only be the welcome end to her suffering, and to her worthlessness. The strange feeling of relief and sense of sudden freedom was so strong that it was overwhelming in its intensity, and Lilith knew that soon, it would all be over at last. She was disappointed that the creature hadn't killed her right away, because she _did_ want her suffering to stop one way, or another, and dying was the only thing she knew of that would stop it. Then she was looking around in confusion as the creature dragging her came to an abrupt halt, with a loud, and deadly shriek.

Something was in front of them or some things were, because it sounded like a pair of the same of shrieks that alien who was carrying her would let out.

She was shocked and confused as the alien shoved her into a small room with no exits. Turning around she saw the two alien creatures attack the one that was carrying her. Well if they were going to fight instead of killing her, then she might as well get the job done right, and kill herself. Drawing her knife she made two cuts, one on each of her wrists. She gave a light smile of satisfaction as she saw that these were the deepest ones yet.

The Elder watched his HUD in horror. He had seen what had happened when the drone had put the ooman pup into that room. He could neither believe, nor understand why the ooman pup had deliberately cut herself. A glance at the readouts from the sensors in the temple showed him that her life force was fading. Slowly but surely, she would die within the hour. Forcing his legs faster he turned down a corridor and barely managed to avoid becoming a pancake by a passing wall. He just prayed to Paya that he would make it in time.

She slumped against the wall allowing her life blood to flow freely around her. She watched the fight that lasted for a grand total of four seconds. The alien carrying her prevailed. It would leap up using the wall for its momentum and use it used its tail to decapitate both of the opposing drones in a single swift move. They had no time to act. What she had just noticed though was it was the alien with the grid pattern on its head.

'_Grid.'_Was the last thought in her mind as she slipped into unconsciousness.

No! It couldn't be! He had to make it; he had to get there in time.

The ooman pup's life force was barely there. He willed himself even faster. He took every route he could, and never bothered to give any of the drones he passed a second glance even as they chased him. Thanks to the sheer speed with which he was running, he lost them easily enough.

Taking one last turn he saw the pair he was after. The drone was crouching over her, with drool falling from its fangs that were curled into a snarl. Its tail thrashed furiously. It was going to finish what she had begun.

He wouldn't allow it. Thrusting forwards he knocked the drone off balance and away from the pup. Before he could even drive his combi-stick into its skull, the drone attacked.

They watched their HUD as they saw the Elder emerge from the tunnel of ice. Pushing forward they ran to catch up. What was suspicious to them was that there were no drones in sight. Taking the same corridors the Elder took they found his kills. He was one of the strongest, most honorable, respected Yautja in their clan. It had taken them ten minutes to reach their destination and what they saw made their blood run cold.


	4. Got to get away! I'll find you death!

All three of the young warriors froze for a moment as they saw the Elder battling it out with a Hard Meat drone that had some deadly fighting skills. It was obvious that this was one of the same Hard Meat that had been encountered earlier, because of the net damage to its head that gave it a grid style pattern.

Al-Nihkou'te quickly turned to both of his younger brothers. "Setg'in, you grab the pup! Hulij-bpe-thwei, I want you to cover them; get the pup to the ship, and treat her injuries there! I'll assist the Elder!"

When both of them nodded in acknowledgement of the plan, Al-Nihkou'te turned and ran towards the battle being waged in front of him. As he got closer, he threw his spear in an attempt to distract the Hard Meat, but the drone was having none of it. He watched in disbelief as his spear was grabbed out of the air and flung with unerring precision at the Elder.

Never in all of his training had he heard of a Hard Meat using any type of weapon. He'd been on many hunts after smaller creatures, and had listened to countless tales of the Chiva that various warriors had taken, but _this_… this was unheard of! He released a breath of relief when he saw the Elder catch his spear in his left hand, which provided the warrior with a second weapon in addition to the deadly claws on the right wrist which were also in play.

Kwei-vor'mekta had never been up against such an adversary as the one he now faced. Each and every attack he'd made was immediately countered by this somehow _experienced_ Hard Meat! If he didn't know better, he might swear that it had been trained as a warrior! Tail, inner jaws, and deadly talons were all in constant motion as the drone either attacked or blocked one of his own attacks. He let out a loud rumbling growl of frustrated rage as the drone slashed again with its tail which feinting with both claw tipped hands. He stepped back to avoid the claws of the drone and saw it snatch a spear in mid cast and hurl it straight at him. His mandibles flexed in a smirk of satisfaction at the sudden acquisition of a second weapon that he hadn't needed to reach for. Suddenly, he received the shock of his life as he watched an unbelievable thing happen.

Al-Nihkou'te skidded to a stop as he instantly recognized the drone that he'd been fighting earlier. He knew that the only reason he was now alive was because of the ooman pup's actions. This was on ordinary drone, because it was either more intelligent or more cunning than any other Hard Meat was known to be. He stared in disbelief for many long moments as the Elder fought a raging though evenly matched battle against the drone. Every move, every strike, and every feint was quickly and immediately blocked by the cunning drone. Neither the drone, nor the Elder were able to gain even the slightest advantage over the other.

Suddenly, he knew that he had to help. Because of the presence of the pup, this was no longer a Chiva, and though he hadn't earned the right to blood himself, he could still retain some measure of honor by assisting his Elder. Al-Nihkou'te sprinted forward with every intention to help in some way. As he darted towards the raging battle, he got the wild idea of duplicating the pup's unorthodox attack… but with one slight modification. He raced forward as fast as he possibly could. Then at the last instant, he hurled himself through the air to collide with the Hard Meat. Making sure that his dive placed him mostly towards the drone's back he reached out with his left hand and grabbed the lower jaw of the beast. He took full advantage of the momentum gained by his seemingly psychotic tackle, and he used his entire body weight the wrench the drone's head around with a loud sickening crack! He lost his grip at that moment as he and the drone toppled to the ground in a twisted heap. Reacting quickly, he shoved the drone off him and leapt to his feet.

Kwei-vor'mekta stared at the young warrior in complete shock, as his mandibles drooped beneath his mask. Never had he witnessed the killing of a Hard Meat_without_ the use of any type of weapon! He looked down at the dead drone before looking back up at the warrior now entitled to mark himself as Blooded. He stepped forward, a reached out, grabbing the young Yautja by his shoulder, and gave a firm shake.

"Well done! You will make a fine Elder some day. _Never_ have I seen a Hard Meat killed by nothing more than sheer strength and courage! _That_ is a trophy to truly be proud of!" Kwei-vor'mekta proclaimed seriously before looking around the chamber. "Now, where the _pauk_ did you get the idea to attack like that?" He finished in admiration.

"That is the same attack the ooman pup used against it to save my life. It worked for her, as light as she is, so I figured it would work even better for me." Al-Nihkou'te answered honestly.

Kwei-vor'mekta chuckled for a moment as he thought about what he'd just seen. He couldn't even imagine what it must have been like to see such a small little ooman attack a drone in such a way. Then, thinking of the pup, he looked over at where she was slumped, but saw only an empty space. "_By the Gods! Where is the pup now?_" He roared in renewed anger.

"I told Setg'in and Hulij-bpe-thwei to get her while I assisted you. They are taking her back to the ship." He answered quickly.

"Good! There are questions that I need to ask that pup. For now, take your trophies quickly, that pup will need medical treatment immediately, or she will die within the hour!" Kwei-vor'mekta replied as he stood guard while the young warrior quickly severed the head and tail of the dead drone.

"Elder? Have you ever heard of a Hard Meat using a weapon as this one did?" Al-Nihkou'te asked curiously.

"No. I haven't, and that only makes your kill more worthy." The Elder replied.

Setg'in slid to a stop in horror as he stared at the ooman pup. The puddle of warm blood flowing from the fresh wounds on the wrists of the little female had _not_been there earlier! Quickly switching through the various visual modes of his mask, he saw that not only had the female's heart rate had dropped, but that it wasn't beating as strongly as it should have been. Shaking himself out of his stupor, he moved quickly and snatched the little pup up in his arms. He had no time to be careful of the other injuries that his mask had shown him, because he needed to get her somewhere that he could give her some emergency treatment and fast! He ran out of the small chamber and hurried down the corridors that led towards the exit. When a drone dropped down in front of him, he saw Hulij-bpe-thwei race forward and hurl his spear catching the drone in the neck.

Knowing that there wasn't anytime to spare, Hulij-bpe-thwei extended his claws twice to get maximum length out of them as he darted ahead of his brother. He severed the head and grabbed it in his left hand while retrieving his spear with his right. Then, he resumed his run just as Setg'in caught up to him. Collapsing his spear on the run, he retracted his caws at the same time. He put his spear back in its sheath, and pulled out a game net to place the head of the drone in, all without breaking his stride. He kept pace beside his younger and much smaller brother while staying prepared to intercept any drone that might attack. He knew that Setg'in though small and quick, was also not in a position to defend himself or the ooman pup he carried; therefore, such fighting would be left for him. That was fine with him! Even though he was in the middle as far as age was concerned, he outweighed both his older and younger siblings easily, plus, he was much stronger as well. Exiting the temple, he stood as a _very_ watchful guard, while Setg'in stopped to treat the pup's injuries.

As he slid to a stop on the floor of the ice cavern, just outside the temple, Setg'in looked around, and saw that there would be plenty of warning should any drones attack. He gently laid the unconscious ooman down and quickly pulled out his trauma kit. He knew that the emergency healing serum in his kit was far too strong for the ooman pup in her severely weakened state, but he had no other alternative. Scanning the pup with his mask, he knew that the blood loss _had_ to be stopped, but the question was how was he to do it? Then he realized that the formula would have to be diluted in some way to make a somewhat weaker serum that wouldn't burn any of the pup's skin away or kill her in the process. Opening the vial of healing serum, he quickly dumped ninety percent of it on the ground. Then he added a fourth of a vial of pain blocking formula, and stopped for a moment while he racked his brain to figure out something else that could be added to help dissipate the overly strong serum.

Hulij-bpe-thwei watched the surroundings, and also kept an eye on his younger brother at the same time. This was one of the few times that he curse the luck or blessing that had given him a size that was a match for many female Yautja, but had also come with the price of not having the same level of intelligence as either of his brothers. Big, strong, powerful, and graced with enough speed and endurance to deal with anything that might pose a threat; he knew that he was completely helpless when it came to matters of the mind. He saw that his brother was diluting the healing serum, but he didn't know why. What he _did_ know was that the tiny little ooman pup was losing _far_ too much blood.

"I wish there was some way that we could put her blood back inside her where it belongs. Then she might last until we get to the ship so she could be treated there." Hulij-bpe-thwei lamented honestly.

Setg'in snapped his head around and looked at his brother oddly. _'Putting the ooman's blood back in? If he only knew what kind of infections that could cause…'_ Setg'in thought as he stared at the pup. Then he realized that his brother might actually have hit on something.

'_By the Gods! That might just work! Even if she gets an infection from this, that can be dealt with later, but for now, it may well save her life.'_ He thought as he held the partially filled vial against the pup's still bleeding wrist to collect some of the blood to dilute to serum further.

Once the vial was filled, Setg'in quickly loaded it into the injector, and began using the strange mixture to seal the pup's wounds. The result wasn't by any means perfect, nor was the healing complete, but it _was_ enough to allow the ooman pup to survive the remaining journey to the ship. As he treated the most serious wounds, he saw that the pup's arms were literally covered with a couple _hundred_ scars from the same kind of wounds! The first time he'd seem them, he hadn't had a single clue that there might be so many. Now that he knew they were there, he used one of the alternate visual modes of his mask to see those scars in detail. Pure, undiluted rage coursed through him as he realized that the wounds were apparently progressive in nature. Whatever had happened to this pup, it had been happening for a long time. Numerous questions burned through his mind as he gave the odd formula he'd been lucky enough to come up with, time to work a near miracle on the pup. He knew that he couldn't get any answers right now, and that he would be able to get any until after the pup was safely on their ship.

Lifting the pup gently in his arms, he activated the ice spikes on the soles of his boots. Specially developed for running and fighting in icy conditions, the spikes were heated so that they partially melted their way into the ice to provide perfect traction for maneuvering on foot. He moved at an all out dead run as he made his way to the tunnel that had been bored through the incredibly thick sheet of ice that covered the ground on this part of the planet. Reaching the tunnel that was bored at a very steep angle, Setg'in never even bothered to slow or change his rapid pace. He placed complete and firm trust in technology that had been through countless millions of hunts as he actually _ran_ up the tunnel with his brother right beside him!

He didn't know or even need to know that the native ooman's called the powerful gale a 'katabatic wind'. What he did know, was that the blistering cold air was steadily sapping the body heat out of the pup in his arms. While some heat loss was to be expected from the severe cold, and to an extent would even be helpful by causing the pup's metabolism to go lower, _this_ type of cold would be deadly to the pup if she were exposed for too long! In a race against time, while both the young and fading life in his arms, as well as his honor were at stake, Setg'in pelted his way through the old ooman settlement.

He ignored the questioning looks from some of the others when he arrived at the ship with the seemingly lifeless form of the tiny female carried in his arms. He made his way purposefully to the infirmary, where he laid the female on the metal bed that was built with enough size to accommodate even the largest female Yautja who had ever lived.

"Hulij-bpe! Turn up the heat; the pup will need it, if she is to recover." Setg'in instructed his brother as he fumbled with the pup's clothing to remove the thick outer covering which was obviously meant to serve as insulation. It took him a few minutes to figure out how to remove the thing without damaging it. Then, when he saw the second layer beneath the first, he growled in frustration. The second item which completely covered the pup's torso also concealed a _third_ covering which was much tighter on the pup and had none of the strange closing methods. He didn't want to destroy what little clothing the pup had if he didn't have to since he didn't know if there might be any meaning attached to the various articles, so he began to examine the strange covering carefully.

Finally, after several minutes, he discovered that the strange covering would stretch enough to be safely removed without damaging it, although he _would_ have to move the pup's arms while doing so. Now that the pup was bare from the waist up, he could begin to treat her properly. Setg'in placed the unknown covering aside with the other two, and turned back to examine the ooman pup.

What Setg'in saw through his mask made his blood run cold once more. He'd known that the pup had several damaged ribs, but he _hadn't_ known about the massive bruising that was now evident. The more he looked at the small form in front of him, the more he became convinced that the damage was the result of some type of extensive combat. He could think of nothing else that might cause such a massive amount of damage to a still living body.

Setg'in ignored the small but developing breasts of the female while he examined the body of the pup critically. Severely undernourished and underweight as well, it was a wonder that the pup was even alive. He shook his head in irritation as he turned his attention to those wounds that needed urgent attention. The wounds on both of the female pup's wrists were so numerous that he didn't even bother to try counting them. Instead, he turned to the shelf containing the various medical formulas and tried to decide which one would work best on the pup without placing the young life in further jeopardy.

Setg'in stared helplessly at the vials for several seconds before the door to the infirmary shot open with a pneumatic hiss, and the Elder entered, followed by Al-Nihkou'te.

"How is the pup?" Kwei-vor'mekta demanded as soon as he entered.

"She lives Elder, but she holds on to her life by the tip of a claw. I… I don't know what I should do now. She has lost so much blood, and I _know_ that her injuries weren't that serious when I notified you of her presence." Setg'in answered quickly.

"They weren't! That temple is equipped with all manner of sensors, and I saw the pup inflict the most grievous injuries to herself." The Elder replied seriously, as he strode over to the shelf containing the medical supplies.

"_What_? Why… Why would she… why would a mere _pup_ do such a thing?" Al-Nihkou'te demanded instantly while his two brothers froze in confusion.

"Think about it, Young Warrior. You were given a self destruct unit to preserve your honor if you failed to pass your Chiva, and were at risk of becoming infested by a Hard Meat. What _other_ method does she have to preserve her own honor? _None_! Knowing that she was in the clutches of the Hard Meat, she obviously used the only means of keeping her honor that she had available to her. It's a good thing she _didn't_ have a self destruct or she would likely have used it. As it is, _all_ of us are lucky that she didn't have a faster method available, or she would now be dead, and _our_ honor would be resting with her corpse! With no weapons in her possession, she's lucky that she wasn't killed long before you three found her." Kwei-vor'mekta said candidly, as set the ship's medical computer to conduct a scan of the pup before he selected several of the available serums and began mixing small amounts of each into a single vial.

As he turned to see the pup's actual condition for the first time, Kwei-vor'mekta froze in disbelief. He'd known that the female had possessed some injuries, and had inflicted a couple more upon herself, but he hadn't _dreamed_ the little thing might have _this_ amount of damage. The normal orange coloring of her bodies heat was altered in many places by numerous bruises that ran along both sides of the pup's ribs, chest, and even her abdomen. A switch in the visual mode of his mask showed that five of the ribs were cracked, and two of them were actually broken. That was in addition to the signs that each of her ribs had been broken at one point or another, some of them had been broken many times in the past. He closed his eyes for a moment to get a grip on his thoughts. When he opened them again, he realized that the little female was naked from the waist up. Although he was pleased by that bit of knowledge, he also knew that there were no other options if the pup's life was to be saved.

Using the injector, Kwei-vor'mekta began applying small amounts of the new serum mixture on the open and partially closed wounds that were now all too visible on the pup's wrists. It took him a while to treat each wound, because he had to hold them shut so that they would seal properly. Once the wounds were closed to prevent any further blood loss, he gave the female a series of injections. The first was to cause her body's metabolism to increase dramatically, so that the second injection would work better as it forced her body to produce new blood cells at a much faster rate. The third injection was a general healing serum that while much weaker than he would have used on a Yautja, was _very_ potent for ooman physiology. The fourth injection was an energy booster to give the pup the energy needed for healing, and the last, though largest injection was to provide the chemical nutrients that the ships medical computer said she was missing. After the injections were administered, he turned to face Setg'in.

"Are there any of her coverings that you didn't damage?" The ship's Elder asked in a displeased tone.

"All of them actually. I managed to avoid damaging any of them. If you are looking for something to cover her with, I would suggest using what she was wearing as an inner layer. It's thin enough that it shouldn't cause her to overheat in our environment, and the arm covering parts of it will still allow her wounds to be examined or treated in the future if needed." Setg'in answered quickly as he retrieved the garment.

Kwei-vor'mekta didn't have the slightest idea what the T-shirt was when he saw it, but he could readily see that it would provide the female pup with proper modesty while future treatment was given. He knew that while adult female Yautja were known to have _very_ few issues regarding nudity, they were _also_ known to be more than zealous in their insistence that female pups be properly covered, and above all, he did _not_ wish to receive the type of beating that any of them would_happily_ give out upon finding this pup uncovered!

As he raised the ooman to a sitting position so that Setg'in could put the covering back on, he froze and very nearly dropped the unconscious female when he saw her back. The numerous scars on the pup's wrists were one thing, but this… _this_ was a sight that left his mind numb and his body frozen in horror. Not just hundreds, but… _countless_ scars were literally _covering_ the small female's back! Kwei-vor'mekta stared in slack faced horror at what had been done to a mere _pup_! Without realizing what he was doing, he switched the visual modes of his mask to get a better look at the damage. As his mask magnified the view in the ultra violet spectrum, he could see that the scars were long, thin, and straight. The problem was that there were so many of them that it was difficult to see the individual scars, but once he was able to see them clearly, he knew.

Kwei-vor'mekta knew what had caused at least _some_ of the scars on this pup, and the very idea, the mere _thought_ that _anyone_ could do such a thing, that someone, even an _ooman_ could commit such atrocities on a _pup_ infuriated him beyond all reason. He knew that sometimes a pup could be willful, disrespectful, and could even be deliberately disobedient, but there was _nothing_ that could excuse, or explain treating a pup in this manner!

"Quit staring at her and put her covering back on!" Kwei-vor'mekta growled to cover his lapse. One thing he didn't want was for anyone else on board to know what foul treatment this poor soul had been made to endure, until he was able to gain some answers, and more information.

As Lilith woke up, she became aware of a warmth that was not only incredibly and pleasantly welcome, but unfamiliar as well. She had spent years living in a cold damp basement, only to emerge from that den of endless nightmares to face the dead of winter. Then, on the same night that she had finally gotten free, and tried to find someplace new to live, that lucky bastard Weyland, who was now dead, had found her and forced her to come to Antarctica. Sitting up, she realized that she felt _really_ strange. Suddenly, she realized that she wasn't feeling _any_ pain! She quickly looked down at her wrists in disbelief. The wounds were… _gone_! There was nothing there but nicely healed scars to show that they had ever existed.

A loud but somehow soothing rumble caused her to look up to her right. A Predator was standing there. Looking him over, she saw that this was one of the ones in the weird pyramid. In fact, this was the _big_ one! She could easily imagine him with a huge war hammer or a giant battle axe of some kind. He looked like some kind of Viking or maybe a Celtic warrior. That was it! A Celtic warrior! Give him some fur lined boots and things, and he'd _really_ look the part… well except for the whole alien look thing he had going on.

A quick glance around the room showed her that it was just her and 'Celtic' in the weird looking room. She could tell that this wasn't part of the pyramid, because the walls were metal, instead of stone. It was only her and Celtic in the room, and that sound was coming from the Predator. Looking at herself again, she couldn't believe that all of her cuts were healed. Suddenly, she sneezed. Lilith froze in stunned shock after she did that. She'd expected a massive wave of pain from her ribs and stomach to nearly knock her out, but there hadn't been anything. Waves of confusion whirled through her mind as she tried to figure things out and understand what had happened.

Not even thinking about what she was doing, Lilith hopped off the left side of the strange metal bed, and plummeted five feet to the floor where she landed in a heap. Before she could even figure out if she was hurt or not, the huge Predator was there, picking her up, and… well… _purring_ even louder! Being pulled into a hug by such a huge and dangerous alien was definitely _not_ what she was expecting! She tried to resist the embrace, but she couldn't even manage to make the big behemoth budge as much as a single inch!

Lilith huffed in frustrated anger as the door swished open. Both of the other two Predators that she'd seen in the pyramid entered, followed by one that she knew she hadn't seen before. The smallest one, she knew was the one that had spanked her, and she was still ticked about that. Looking him over, she remembered the scar that she'd watched him make on his head. _'That's what I'll call him… Scar.'_ She thought, before looking over at the other Predator she recognized. There wasn't really all that much about him the seemed unusual, except for that necklace with the skull on it that made him look like he was ready to go to a rave. _'Ha! That would probably tick him off if I call him that!'_ Lilith thought as she decided to call the third Predator 'Rave'.

Lilith looked over at the last one who came in the room. She quirked her face skeptically when she noticed the cape. _What? Does he think he's 'Superman' or something?'_ She wondered idly as she tried to see any other details about him. He seemed to have longer dreads than the others, but it wasn't until he took off that metal mask, that she realized that he must be a lot older than they were. There were lots of short spines on his face, and many of them had grey on the tips. Suddenly she realized that she had been so busy looking at him, that she didn't realize how close he'd gotten to her. Lilith tried to struggle and get free from the big Predator who was holding her, but it was totally useless. Then, the older Predator put his mask on her head, and everything felt really weird.

First, she wanted to puke, then she wanted to pass out, but she couldn't do either of those things. Instead, she felt very lightheaded for a few moments after the Predator took the mask away from her head. She gasped for breath a few times, because everything felt so… _weird_!

"You should be able to understand me now. The neural interface technology in our helmets has enabled me to imprint our language into your mind, so that you can understand us, even when we are speaking our own language. I am Kwei-vor'mekta, (Sly Stalker), and this is Al-Nihkou'te, (Long Tusk), he is the eldest of my three sons. The one holding you is Hulij-bpe-thwei, (Crazy Blood) then there is the youngest of the three and his name is Setg'in, (Quick and Deadly). How are you named?"

Lilith glared angrily as she pressed her lips firmly together because she had no intention of speaking to this Predator, or anyone else for that matter, _ever_ again! She watched the old Predator carefully, while refusing to speak. She knew that he was watching her, and that he couldn't be too happy with her right then, because he narrowed his eyes and stared at her for several moments. Lilith stared the old Predator right in his eyes as he stared just as hard at her. She thought that it was going to be some kind of battle of wills, and she was firmly resolved in her determination not to say a single word.

The loud purr from Celtic who was still holding her began to falter a bit as the staring contest continued. But then, the old one surprised her by simply nodding his head in what looked like approval.

"You might not wish to speak now, Little One, and that is understandable. You are in a strange place, among strangers, and you have no idea of what is to become of you. I will tell you now, that you are safe among us, and though you may not wish to speak to us now, that will one day change, and when it does, I will hear your words." Kwei-vor'mekta told her seriously.

He knew that whatever this pup had been through, was something that more than likely caused her to choose to remain silent. He didn't know _why_ the ooman would choose not to speak, but at the same time, he knew that there _had_ to be a good reason for that choice. He could respect that decision for now. He knew that the ooman pup had displayed what appeared to be _severe_ disrespect to him with her staring, and seeming defiance, but in truth, he knew that the pup had been taking his measure, just as he had done to her.

'_There is both strength and courage in this little one. Whoever decides to accept her will have much to learn from her, and I will not return her to the oomans! Not after the way she has proven her honor, and_certainly_not after what she has endured! She could have caused those injuries to her arms, and it's also possible that she may not have done such things, but I_know_that there is no way that she could have caused that… that_abomination_on her back!'_The Elder thought angrily while at the same time admiring the determination of the ooman pup.

"Bring her to the dinning hall. She'll need something to eat while she recovers." Kwei-vor'mekta instructed as he turned to leave without mentioning the dishonorable injuries found on the pup's body.

Knowing that she'd _never_ be able to pronounce their actual names, Lilith decided to go with the names that she had chosen for them. The only thing she couldn't decide on was whether to name the older one after Superman, or Batman because of the cape. The dinning hall that she was taken to was the kind of thing she could easily recognize. After all, what else were you supposed to do in a room that had long tables with benches? The one she'd named Celtic didn't put her down until they were actually at the table.

Lilith shot a glare of pure death at Celtic, which only made that purring noise he'd _never_ stopped making get louder. Then her attention was drawn to a plate of food that was put in front of her. Lilith's mouth fell open as she stared at more food than she'd been given in a whole week while she had been in the basement. The plate of food was quickly followed by a bowl of brown stuff, and a large cup of water.

"We have already eaten, so this is yours. You need to eat to regain your strength. Healing, and recovering takes energy, and you can only get _that_ from eating." The old Predator that she decided to call 'Old Bruce' told her.

Lilith didn't need to be told twice on something like that. The meager amounts of food that her parents had occasionally given her had always been tossed on the filthy floor of the basement, and sometimes were intentionally thrown in the piles of waste by her father. Without even thinking twice, she tore into the food in front of her like a starving animal. Whatever table manners she had previously known, used, or been taught, were nonexistent as she strove to put away as much food as she possibly could before it was taken away from her.

As he watched the little female eat like a starving Yaut hound, Setg'in began to purr lightly and placed his right hand on the pup's back to offer some reassurance to her. Immediately the pup flinched away from the contact, and presented him with an expression that he knew was meant to contain pure death. Suddenly he remembered what he'd been told earlier in this very room.

"_I don't know who did it or why, but I think that pup has been tortured." The Elder said seriously._

"_What do you mean… tortured?" Al-Nihkou'te demanded in confusion._

"_There are far too many scars on each of her arms from having them cut open… and I doubt that a mere pup would do such things without someone trying to stop it, unless they were the one doing it." The Elder replied._

"_But no one would treat a pup in such a way… they… they would be executed as a Bad Blood the moment anyone found out about it!" Setg'in interrupted quickly._

"_That is true… but somehow… I think this ooman has been through far more than a simple Chiva, and I want to know more, so I can deal with those responsible. For now, I do not want her spanked for any reason! Scold her, and correct her, but do not spank her, I am beginning to think she has been through far too much already." The Elder said firmly._

"_Elder… you should know that I did just that in the temple, after she showed much disrespect, and even disobedience to me." Setg'in admitted heavily._

"_You will not do so again! First, you are not ooman, so she has no reason to obey you. Second, I can't imagine how many times she has been made to suffer, but I doubt that she will trust anyone who is able to do such things to her. Third, if you want respect from her, then I think you will need to_earn_that respect! It is likely that_I_will even have to earn respect from her, because I seriously doubt that she will just give it to us, regardless of our rank and honor." The Elder snapped angrily._

That memory flashed through Setg'in's mind in an instant as he withdrew his hand. He noticed that the ooman watched him and especially his hand warily until it was out of reach, before she returned to… _devouring_ the food in front of her. It was not a pleasant thing to see a mere pup hunched protectively over a plate of food while eating as if she had been starved for ages.

Lilith pushed the plate away from her when she knew that she couldn't eat any more. Then she climbed off the bench and did the 'pee-pee dance' to show that she needed to go to the bathroom. Scar suddenly stood up and strode over to the door that led to the hall, while pointing at another weird looking door and growling softly.

"That is the waste closet, and there are no other exits to it. This is our ship, and not the Temple of Passage, so the walls and rooms will _not_ change around you." Scar said in a scolding tone that contained a hint of smugness at the same time.

Lilith glared at the Predator before she hurried into the bathroom. The toilets were weird looking things, and it was pretty obvious that they were toilets because of how they were lined up on one wall, while what looked like weird sinks, were on another. She relieved herself in silence while looking around at the weird place. She was just finishing her business when she spotted the ventilation shaft.

A satisfied smirk crossed her face, as she cast a glance at the still closed door of the waste closet. Straightening her clothes, she ran to the vent and pulled on the grill. A smile crossed her lips when it pulled open easily and silently. Almost grinning in delight, she quickly crawled in, and hurriedly made her way along the shaft.

Kwei-vor'mekta flexed his mandibles and tilted his head in curiosity as the 'occupied' light above the door of the waste closet suddenly went out. His gaze shifted back and forth between the light and the door while he tried to see if there was something wrong with the sensor system.

"_Pauk_!" Setg'in yelled angrily when he finally noticed what the Elder was looking at. Running to the door of the waste closet, he opened it to find the small room completely empty. The only sign that the ooman pup had been there was the un-disposed of waste in one of the toilets, and the open vent on the opposite side of the room.

"_Pauk_!" He repeated angrily. "She's gone into the ventilation shafts!"

Kwei-vor'mekta roared with laughter when he heard that. "_That_ should teach you to _never_ underestimate an ooman! I'll wager you never tell her that she can't leave again!" He added chortling.

"Elder… how can you think this is funny? The last time she escaped like this we found her wounded, and she was captured by drones!" Setg'in exclaimed irritably.

"Come now, Setg'in… do you honestly think that this is the first time that something has escaped into the vents when it was wanted alive and unharmed?" Kwei-vor'mekta asked with a snicker. "Of course it isn't. This type of thing has happened before, and it will likely happen again. That is why we have a system that will force her out of the vents without harming her at all." The Elder added as he punched a few commands into his wrist computer. "She'll be out soon enough, and she'll have no choice but to come out the same way she went in."

Setg'in gaped at the Elder in surprise. Never would he have guessed that such a system had been installed on a ship, but then, he never would have thought that someone would enter the vents either. He shot a glare at his older and much larger brother who was laughing even harder than the Elder had. "Shut up, Hulij-bpe! This is _not_ funny! She could have put herself in grave danger!"

"Yes it is! You're just mad, because she proved you wrong!" Hulij-bpe-thwei said before laughing even harder.

Lilith stopped crawling forward as she stared at whatever that was coming towards her. She didn't know what it was, except that it blocked the whole vent so she couldn't get past it. Because of the darkness in the shaft, she had to wait until it got closer before she saw that it was some kind of thick screen being moved along a track in the ceiling of the vent. Lilith's eyes went wide in frustration as she realized why it was coming towards her. Suddenly, her stubborn streak got a grip on her and she quickly turned around so that her feet were in front of her. Then, she simply sat still and held her ground with a smug expression on her face.

Lilith's smirk quickly turned into a snarling visage as she was slowly pushed against her will right back the way she'd come. It was a maddening experience, and the longer it lasted the angrier she got. Then, without any type of fanfare or any thing, she was push right out the vent she had crawled into! As she looked around, Lilith was more than mad enough to take a few swings at someone or some _thing_, and in her opinion, there was a something nearby that _really_ deserved it!

When Setg'in saw the ooman pup come storming out of the waste closet with pure death in her eyes, he couldn't help the smug set to his mandibles. Then, unable to resist getting in a decent word when he _knew_ the pup could understand him, he walked over to stand in front of her. "It doesn't seem like you got very far in our ventilation system. Were you trying to get somewhere in particular?" He asked teasingly.

Lilith's teeth bared in a silent snarl of pure rage as she hauled off and sucker punched the large Predator right in that part of his anatomy that was at chest level for her. She put every thing she had into that punch, including her whole body weight, and she was hoping that she could do some decent damage, or at least make the thing mad enough to end her quickly.

Setg'in's eyes flew wide open, and his mandibles flared in silent agony from the pup's strike. _Never_ would he have believed that a mere pup would do such a thing, but this one had! A hissing groan of sheer pain left his mouth as he grabbed his crotch and sank to his knees in agony from the powerful blow to his genitals.

"_Nice shot_!" Hulij-bpe-thwei called out to the pup as he leapt to his feet and quickly headed towards her. "_That_ should teach him not to underestimate you again!" He added as he roared in laughter while snatching the tiny ooman off her feet and hugging her tightly.

Lilith glared at the one she called Celtic in confusion. _'Is he… congratulating me?'_ She thought as he the _very_ large Predator held her tightly.

"I may be considered one of the dumbest warriors alive, but even _I_ wouldn't be stupid enough to tease her about being forced out of the vents like that! You better be glad that was _all_ she did to you!" Hulij-bpe-thwei said as he began cackling even louder while he walked back to the table with the ooman pup in his arms.

"Elder… can we keep this one… please? I… I give you my solemn word of honor that I will protect her." Hulij-bpe-thwei said as he sat down while gently stroking the oomans shoulders in what he hoped was a soothing manner, and trying in vain to stop laughing at his still groaning brother who was now lying on the floor in misery.

"You give your _solemn_ word? That doesn't sound very convincing when you're so busy laughing that you can barely speak." Al-Nihkou'te said snickering.

"Your brother has a point, Hulij-bpe. But it isn't my decision on whether or not I take the pup as my own. _That_ will be left up to my lifemate, and your Bearer to decide. She is a reasonable Yautja at most times, and she often listens to much of what I say, although she has _always_ made her choice her own way! I will say that I too would not mind having this ooman live with us as a member of our family. That can not be decided until we return to our world though. So for now, she is the responsibility of all of us." Kwei-vor'mekta said sternly.

"_Really_?" Hulij-bpe demanded in wide eyed surprise as he looked at the Elder before turning his attention back to the ooman in his arms. "Do you hear that Little One? I might get to have you as a sibling! That would be so much fun! Setg'in and Al-Nihkou'te don't ever start any fights anymore, so I have no one to look out for, but if you become my little sister, then I would be able to look out for you and make sure that no one does anything to you!"

Lilith looked up at the Predator holding her in shock. This thing wanted her as a sister? No way! She had wanted to get away from the house where she'd lived in the basement for so long, because she figured that living anywhere else would be better than there. But living with these huge monster looking Predators was _not_what she'd had in mind! She knew that if they ever found out how worthless she really was, there would be no limit to the pain they would make her feel! For the first time since she'd left that basement two short days ago, Lilith felt terror flood through her like a storm. Then, just as suddenly as she felt terrified of what she was sure would happen, she felt the chest and stomach of the Predator holding her start to vibrate as he made that weird purring noise again. She had no idea _how_ he was doing it, or why, but she did know that it made her feel safe for some reason.

Hulij-bpe felt the ooman pup in his arms go stiff, and he couldn't help but pick up on the acrid scent of fear that suddenly started coming from her. Her scent this time was _much_ stronger than it had been while she had slept in his brother's arms. He didn't know _why_ she was suddenly afraid, but he _did_ know that he planned to protect her even if she wasn't his sibling yet! He quickly started purring to see if that would help calm her down and dispel some of her fear.

Al-Nihkou'te looked over at the ooman female when he too caught the scent of her fear. He had no idea what she might be thinking, but he knew that he had to tell her something that might help. "Hulij-bpe-thwei is large, strong, and very deadly in a fight. But you should know that even though he doesn't have the highest intelligence you'll ever find, he _does_ have strong convictions! When he chooses to protect someone, he does so without any hesitation, or regret. He does not second guess himself when it comes to something like that. He is a fierce warrior, and a stalwart companion who will never abandon you. So I will tell you now, do _not_ get my brother killed for no good reason, because he _will_ defend you with his life!" He said firmly.

Lilith gaped at the one she called Rave in renewed fear. She knew that she was worthless, because her parents had made that so clear every time she'd seen them for the last few years. She knew that she'd die soon enough, but if Celtic somehow got killed first, then she knew that as worthless as she was, Rave would_really_ make her suffer like her parents never had! Now she knew that she had to get away from these Predators, and fast, or they would somehow find out, and then she'd _really_ be in for it! She knew then, that she'd have to somehow get away from these Predators before they took the ship away from Earth.

Hulij-bpe-thwei held onto the ooman for a while as he continued to stroke her arms and purring soothingly. He was sure that what he was doing was helping, but whatever had this little female frightened was something that she wouldn't speak of. He didn't like for her to be afraid when he couldn't see any reason for it, so he intensified the strength of his purr, hoping that it would help. Then, everyone's attention was drawn to Setg'in who sat down at the table slowly with a loud painful groan.

"You need to stay out of the vents! That is not a safe place for you to be. What if you had gotten hurt in there? Those vents are too small for us to enter, and we wouldn't have been able to get you out, if you had gotten hurt. There aren't any Hard Meat here so you don't have to worry about them. There is no reason to go back in the vents, so stay _out_ of them! Understand?" Setg'in said scathingly.

Lilith glared at the Predator who had just scolded her for the second time. He wasn't one of her teachers, and he _certainly_ wasn't one of her parents, so what gave him the right to say anything to her? She hadn't wanted to come to Antarctica in the first place, and she _certainly_ hadn't wanted to come to this ship, so what made him think that she had to listen to him? Deciding that she was going to show him how it was, she stuck out her tongue at him and raised her right hand to flip him off before finishing with a beautiful smile.

Setg'in was angry enough to kill the pup for such blatant disrespect, when he _knew_ that she had understood him. But the order from his father the Elder was clear, he was allowed to correct the female, but he could _not_ spank her, even though she obviously deserved a good one for that. He struggled to keep his anger under control, when he got an idea of how to correct this pup. He snapped both hands across the table and grabbed her hand before she could realize what was happening.

"_That_ is _not_ proper behavior for a pup. It is rude and disrespectful, and you know it, because you obviously know what it means!" Setg'in growled as he carefully folded the female's middle finger back down into her hand without hurting her.

Lilith gaped at the Predator in pure rage as he forced her finger back down. When she heard what he told her she snapped her other hand up flipped him off with that one and taking a deep breath, gave him the loudest, longest, and wettest raspberry she possibly could!

Lilith just finished giving Scar the biggest raspberry of her life when she nearly jumped out of her skin because of a loud roar right over her head. Tilting her head back, she looked up to see Celtic making the noise.

Hulij-bpe-thwei was positively roaring in laughter! As far as he was concerned, this whole situation was hilarious! Setg'in was trying so hard to be serious, and the pup wasn't having _any_ of it! There hadn't been anything in the vents that could hurt her, and they had made her get out of them without getting her hurt. So there really wasn't a reason for her to be getting scolded as far as he could tell. He knew that Setg'in been a little too smug when he'd told the pup that she couldn't get out of the waste closet, and she'd proved him wrong. Then Setg'in had teased her about the way her plan had failed; now he was trying to scold her, when nothing had happened. He knew that Setg'in had almost _asked_ to get hit like he had, and by scolding the little pup now; he was just _begging_ to be further disrespected!

Laughing so hard that his stomach started to hurt, Hulij-bpe-thwei pulled the pup back into another hug. He'd barely met the tiny female who was barely half his height, and already she was making things interesting. He couldn't to introduce her to his Bearer, he was positive that she would like the pup as much as he did.

Even before Setg'in had gotten off the floor, Kwei-vor'mekta watched in silence. He knew from many long years of experience that oomans thought differently than Yautja did, so he was using his vast experience to try to understand this situation from the pup's point of view. It was true that she had been somewhat disrespectful to Setg'in, but then, when he thought about it, Setg'in had pretty much challenged the pup to find another exit to the waste closet. From that perspective the pup had won that challenge, but then Setg'in chose to be a little too smug about the pup's defeat when she was forced out of the vents. So the pup had retaliated by finding another way to satisfy her pride and achieve a worthy victory. The fact that the unarmed pup had put a fully armed and now Blooded Warrior on the floor writhing in pain with a single strike was not something to be dismissed lightly or easily. The courage of the ooman pup was plainly obvious, because even those few adult oomans who had earned respect always possessed some fear of them, but this pup? This pup held no such reservations. The pup could be frightened, but it was apparently not a wise thing to incite her anger. The little female that he was observing, was obviously intelligent and resourceful, not to mention courageous and honorable. The various actions of the pup in the Temple of Passage had proved that beyond any doubts. Though she had teased and even antagonized each of his three sons, while in the Temple, it was also true that she had allowed them to recover one of their weapons which the adult oomans had taken. Then there was the unbelievably brave and incredibly bold attack that the essentially unarmed pup had made against a drone more than twice her size and five times her weight. That attack had saved the life of his eldest son while placing her life in serious jeopardy.

Kwei-vor'mekta held his right hand to his face, and absently rubbed the tusk of his top left mandible while deep in thought, as he studied the ooman pup. After what he and his sons had seen, he knew there was no way that the ooman's bravery or honor could be questioned. He couldn't help but wonder though, just how much courage it would take to wound oneself the way the pup had once she had to opportunity to use death as a way to escape the Hard Meat. The self destruct detonators all warriors carried were instant, and completely painless. The method the pup had used… was _not_! He was certain that those wounds had been painful, and it was also a little frightening to know just how slow the resulting death would have been. True, the ooman female would have been successful in avoiding being used as a host for the Hard Meat. But to know and _feel_ the slow steady approach of The Dark Hunter was something that sent chills down his spine! That had been an act by the pup that _truly_ earned his respect, because he wasn't certain that he would have been able to try such a thing.

The sudden loud noise made by the pup caught Kwei-vor'mekta's attention, and he looked up at her only to choke on a bark of laughter at the sight before him! Setg'in was literally _quivering_ with rage, while the ooman pup was baring her teeth in what he knew was an ooman expression of _very_ pleased satisfaction! It was easy to see that Setg'in was clearly becoming angry at the pup, but he could also see how the pup might feel justified in her actions. It was clear that he needed to do something before things escalated beyond control.

"Setg'in… you need to stop harassing the pup." Kwei-vor'mekta spoke up.

"_What?_ But Elder, she…" Setg'in protested quickly.

"She what? You all but _challenged_ her to find another exit to the waste closet, so she did, and by doing so _won_ that challenge! You even _admitted_ that she had managed to evade your watchful eyes! Yes, I used the containment screen to make her leave the vents, but she still accepted your challenge and bested you at it. You did not have or even _earn_ the right to boast of a triumph that you did not achieve, when she came out of the closet! _You_ disrespected her _first_! She responded with a courageous attack that was highly effective, and was _pure_ female in nature! For you to scold her after she clearly understood that her attempt to avoid you had failed was unnecessary. Even without speaking, she is showing you that it was uncalled for. Yes, she had disrespected you, but _you_ have _earned_ that disrespect by giving it to her first!" He lectured before turning his attention to the ooman pup.

"And _you_ Little One… you should not be so quick to use those fingers like that. Not only is it _very_ disrespectful, but it is also unbecoming of a female. The strike that you landed against Setg'in is another matter. _That_ is something I must congratulate you for. For an unarmed _pup_ to force a warrior to the floor with a single blow is commendable. It shows that you have strength, _and_ courage! However, I must ask that you do not enter the vents again. There are many fan blades in there that can cause severe and crippling injury. I doubt they would be able to kill you even if you were caught in the head, but you would be hurt bad enough that you couldn't get back out again and we would not be able to reach you. It is clear that you choose not to speak for some reason, and that you have many ways of giving your opinion on things you don't like. That is fine, you may use them, just… please avoid the use of those fingers from now on." Kwei-vor'mekta said as he tried to reason with the little pup.

Lilith snickered as she listened to the scolding Scar was getting from Old Bruce. She figured that he was right in a way because Scar _had_ dared her when she was headed to the bathroom, so he did deserve it. But then she heard the part about getting hurt in the vents, and she had to admit, that she didn't like the idea of getting hurt bad enough that she couldn't move. Then she heard Old Bruce tell her that she had permission to _still_give Scar a piece of her mind when she felt like it, she burst out laughing.

Lilith couldn't believe that she was actually laughing. She hadn't had _anything_ to laugh about since the day she'd been thrown down in the basement! Now, was different somehow. She knew that these Predators were dangerous, and that she should be afraid of them, but strangely, she wasn't really afraid of them, and felt that she wouldn't need to be, until they discovered her secret, and decided to make her suffer because of it. But that would happen in the future, and only if she couldn't avoid it, for now, she felt happy for the first time in years, and she positively _reveled_ in that now unfamiliar sensation!

Hulij-bpe-thwei heard and felt the tiny ooman he was holding start to laugh, and he thought it was one of the most wonderful sounds he'd ever heard. Soft rolling and hearty, with a strange musical quality to it, the little ooman was clearly pleased by something that the Elder had said. He resumed his soft purring as he stroked the pup's arms and sincerely hoped that he could convince his Bearer to accept this pup as his sibling.

For the first time in several years, Lilith had a full stomach, wasn't in pain, and wasn't losing blood from one injury or another, and all of those factors combined to make her drowsy. It wasn't long before the gentle purr that Celtic was making, actually put her to sleep. The dreams that she had, while not the nightmares that she usually had, were not something that she would remember either. Instead, they were the plain, ordinary dreams that most people had and forgot the moment they woke up.

Hulij-bpe-thwei could not have been any more pleased than he was the moment he realized that the ooman pup had fallen asleep while sitting in his lap. He couldn't resist the smug set to his mandibles as he realized that the little ooman hadn't struggled or even _tried_ to get away from him this time! To him, it was a sign that he actually had a chance at gaining the pup's trust and friendship. He carefully shifted her in his massive arms, and moved as stealthily as he could while taking her back to the infirmary so she could sleep undisturbed.

Lilith had no idea how much time had passed when she woke up, but she looked around quickly, and saw that the room was empty. Remembering the long drop the first time she'd tried to jump off the bed, she was a little more careful about it this time. She looked around the room and spotted the zippered sweat shirt that she'd taken from her mother's closet, along with the coat that Weyland had given her for this trip. She quickly snatched them up and searched the pockets… nothing! Her pocket knife was gone! She felt violated, angry, and betrayed as she stared at the empty coat. Then, she put the sweat shirt and coat on, before trying the door that she'd seen earlier. To her vast relief, it slid open immediately.

Lilith knew that she was lost. She had wandered back and forth through this ship who knew how many times. She'd found herself back at the room she had woke up in twice, but she _still_ hadn't found a way out yet. She knew that she hadn't been able to be very thorough in looking through the ship, because she was also hiding from the Predators at the same time. She suppressed a giggle of amusement as she thought about sneaking up behind them and posting 'kick me' signs on their armor. She pushed that idea aside, because she knew that there was something much more important to do than have a bit of fun, and kept searching. She never would have discovered what she was looking for if the door hadn't slid open as she passed. A quick furtive look inside showed her that the room was empty, but the noise made by the howling wind outside, told her that she had finally found what she was looking for… a way out!

As she stepped out of the sheltered room of the ship, the blistering cold wind began biting at her immediately. It didn't seem to matter how well she bundled up, the cold still pierced right through her clothes to her skin. Lilith didn't let something like that stop her though. She knew what she had to do, and this time, nothing… not even the Predators were going to stop her! She didn't even give the ice encrusted buildings of the old whaling station a single glance as she passed them. Instead, she concentrated on putting one foot solidly in front of the other in dogged determination as she made her way throw the ice, snow, and howling wind.

There it was! Just up ahead, the cliffs that edged the sea. That was exactly what she needed, and she turned slightly to her right to head straight towards it. She knew that her goal was now very close, and getting closer with each step she took. That knowledge seemed to make each step lighter, every stride that much easier, and an oppressive weight seemed to lift from her shoulders. A deep sense of relief and even a light feeling of joy flooded her mind as she stepped up to the edge of the cliff and gazed down at the freezing waters seven hundred feet below. She remembered the warnings that she'd been given on the way down here, and she knew that a plunge like that would most likely kill her. The thing was, even if hitting surface of the water from this height didn't kill her instantly, then the subzero temperature of the ice water would finish her off within seconds.

Lilith took a deep breath, and felt the longed for presence of oblivion hovering about her. That presence, and the knowledge that it would all be over, that she wouldn't have to hurt anymore, and that she wouldn't be a worthless waste to anyone ever again brought her a sense of peace and serenity that she'd never known before. Then for the first time since her living nightmare had begun, Lilith truly smiled. It was beautiful smile, filled with peace of mind and a tranquility that could only come from knowing that her final destiny was now at hand. Closing her eyes, she took one last deep breath, and stepped off the edge of the cliff.


	5. Lifeless

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Hulij-bpe-thwei had seen the ooman pup just as she entered the airlock to go outside. Since the Elder hadn't ordered her to be confined to the ship, he didn't try to stop her from going where ever it was that she was headed. Not only was he curious about what the little pup was doing, but he also wanted to make certain that she stayed safe, and since he knew that the Elder had kept the small weapon she'd had, he decided to follow her, and make sure that she was okay. He activated his cloak to help retain his body's heat and followed the little pup. He couldn't help but notice that she didn't even stop to retrieve any of the discarded weapons of the oomans who had been up here, nor did she try to enter any of the ooman structures that were here, so where was she going?

He sped up a bit, until he was less than a handful of strides behind the little ooman, and listened closely to see if she was saying anything. He certainly wanted to hear more of her wonderful laughter, because that had been a sound that had truly warmed his heart. He knew that she was much, _much_ smaller than he was, not to mention weaker and probably smarter too. But he had personally watched her use a pair of truly amazing attacks against a Hard Meat drone to save his older brother's life, and that was something he would _never_ forget! He felt that since this tiny female pup had risked her life to save his brother when _he_ hadn't been able to get there fast enough, that he owed her in a way that he couldn't explain. It was true that this pup had been _very_ disrespectful to him and his brothers, but then maybe she just hadn't wanted to be carried. He was pretty sure that the pup had her reasons for doing what she had done; she just hadn't told anyone what those reasons were. Regardless of whether or not she was willing to speak, he was still going to make sure that nothing happened to the little female, and that was why he followed her.

He stopped not far behind the little one as she looked out at the freezing ocean. He had been told that oomans saw through a different part of the spectrum, and that they didn't see things the way a Yautja would. Remembering that made him wonder what it was the ooman actually saw as she gazed out over the ocean. He watched in silence, because he didn't want to disturb her in any way, and she seemed so peaceful standing there. Although he wasn't happy about her being so close to the edge of a _very_ high cliff, he also noticed that there was no scent of fear or anger coming from her.

Suddenly, there was no time for him to think or even blink, as he watched her deliberately step off the cliff. Powerful muscles in strong legs that had never failed him before seemed to take an eternity to cover the few short steps to where the little female had stood only an instant before. His left hand flashed out, and he felt the cloth of the pup's covering against his claws. Instantly his hand closed around the strange fabric, and he knew that he had her in his grasp. It was too late for him to stop his speed as they both went over the edge of the ice, but a single flex of his right forearm, and a pair of sharp deadly blades penetrated the ice to bring them both to a bone jarring halt.

Hulij-bpe-thwei felt the muscles in his right arm strain with the effort of bringing him and the ooman pup to a stop. He wasn't even able to form a coherent thought in his mind, as his extensive training made him pull himself back onto the ice above and bring the female pup with him. Getting to his feet, he carried the pup a short distance away from the edge before setting her down on her feet. Concern, shock, and pure disbelief flooded his mind as he took in the nearly blank expression on the face of the little pup. Then she seemed to realize where she was, and opened her eyes to look at him.

When Lilith realized that she was staring at Celtic's stomach, she couldn't but wonder why she was still alive. It took her a moment to comprehend exactly what had happened. Suddenly she was madder than she'd ever been in her life. Angry tears of frustrated rage flowed from her eyes as she began pounding her fists against the stomach of the huge Predator. What right did he have to take away the one thing she deserved? What right did he have to stop her? Why had he interfered? If he had just left her alone, she would never have had to worry about anything or feel anything ever again!

"_Why? Why didn't you let me die like I'm supposed to? I _have_ to die! Don't you see that?_" Lilith was so upset and distraught that she didn't even realize that she was screaming what was going through her mind as she kept banging her fists against the stomach of the Predator in helpless rage.

Hulij-bpe-thwei stood there in pure astonishment as the little pup beat her fists on her stomach. There was literally no strength or power to the blows that were raining against him, so that didn't bother him in the least. What _did_ bother him were the words that this pup had screamed at him, and the only thing he could think was… why? He couldn't have said how long the pup railed at him before she collapsed to the ice in a sobbing heap. He scooped her up in his arms, and purred as loudly and strongly as he possibly could. He didn't know or understand why this tiny little pup felt like she had to die, but he _did_ know that he wasn't going to let it happen if he could stop it. Whether this little female knew it or not, he would make sure that he was there to protect her… even if he had to protect her from herself.

Emotionally, physically spent, and completely drained, Lilith lay almost helpless in Celtic's arms as he carried her back to the ship. She felt like there was nothing else left inside, and that included strength. She had used everything she'd had to make this one final effort that should have done the job, and now she was just… empty.

Hulij-bpe-thwei was worried. If it weren't for the steady beat of the pup's heart, and regular breathing, he would swear that she was now lifeless. She was there in his arms, and her body was totally limp, while the expression of her face was listless and devoid of any emotions at all.

'_Why? Why would she choose to give up now? She survived a Chiva without even having a decent weapon, and she wasn't even supposed to be there! I know she has honor, and that she's very smart. She has to be! There's no way I would have thought of attacking a drone like she did… and she did it to save my brother! Al-Nihkou'te would have been killed if not for what she did. She saved my brother's life and gave him the chance to become a Blooded Warrior. He owes her much, and so do I. Why is she supposed to die? Could she have done something that was so dishonorable that that even a pup couldn't be forgiven for it? What could that have been?'_ He thought as he raced for the ship as fast as his legs could take him.

Upon entering the ship, he immediately began yelling for the Elder as he made his way quickly to the infirmary. Once there, he laid the listless body of the female gently on the bed, and tried to get some type of reaction out of her. His purring was getting no response, even after he had taken her small hand in his much larger one. He knew that she was angry with him, so maybe… maybe if he showed that he understood, maybe she would do something then. He began moving the fingers of her right hand until only the pup's middle finger was left extended, and there was still no response.

"What are you yelling about now? Don't you know that others are trying to sleep?" Demanded an older male as he entered the infirmary.

"Elder, she… she won't respond. Can't you do something? There has to be some way to help her." Hulij-bpe-thwei asked in a near panic as he looked over at the ship's captain.

"It's only a filthy ooman! They are barely worth being hunted as trophies. Throw it outside! Let it freeze, and be done with it." The captain retorted angrily as he turned to leave, only to stop short because the still open door was occupied.

"I would like to hear you say that again. Because I would _love_ to see the reaction of the first female to learn of your suggestions regarding a _pup_!" Kwei-vor'mekta said clearly.

"If she is still a pup then she has no place here!" The captain retorted quickly.

"It is true that she should not be here, but there are no oomans left alive to give her to. We can not abandon her outside because she would die as a result. There is no food for her to eat, no fuel for to stay warm, and no way for her to contact other oomans who might retrieve her. _Therefore_, she must come with us! Besides, she has already been through a Chiva, and she was able to honorably draw blood from a drone using a blade no more than three times the length of a single claw,_plus_ she saved the life of a warrior as well! Let a female hear you speak such things about such a pup, and I wouldn't wager a shattered and ruined trophy on your chances of survival." Kwei-vor'mekta warned.

The captain turned to look at the ooman pup lying on the bed. He could see that the pup was awake, but unresponsive. "Do what you will then. I want nothing to do with the ooman!" He said as he moved past the three males standing near the door and began to leave.

"Since the Chiva is complete, and the Temple of Passage is once again sealed, we are ready to leave this world. It is time that we return to our own." Kwei-vor'mekta ordered before the captain left.

"That will be done, _but_ pup or not, I want that ooman off my ship as soon as possible!" The old captain said as he finally left.

"Now, what happened? She was fine when last we saw her." Kwei-vor'mekta asked quickly as he looked down at the female who was just laying there.

Hulij-bpe-thwei quickly related everything he knew, and when he realized that he wasn't providing the whole story, he held offered his mask to the Elder who took it in silence.

Kwei-vor'mekta lowered the mask in heavy silence, before silently handing it back to his son. "The only thing I can think of… is that she might see us as being no different from the Hard Meat. If that _is_ the case… then she may well make further attempts to salvage her honor."

"_What?_ How could anyone think we are _anything _like Hard Meat? Unlike them… we _have_ honor!" Al-Nihkou'te protested angrily.

"In our own eyes… yes, we do. But this thing whole incident involving this ooman pup has forced me to look at things from an ooman perspective. Have we ever told them of our laws regarding the hunt? Have they ever been told that we will not hunt pregnant or nursing females? Have they ever been told that we will _never_allow a pup to be placed in danger? If they do not know such things, they just _might_ see _us_ as being just as dishonorable as the Hard Meat. This is not a pleasant thing to consider, and the more I think of it, the more I think that we will need to _prove_ what our honor is truly worth to the ooman. If she were Yautja, this would not be an issue, because none of this would have happened. But she is _not_ Yautja, so she doesn't know that we would not tolerate the kind of things that have already been done to her. I think she will need to be shown. Whoever it was that tormented her did not even have the _concept_ of honor! I think she will even believe that we lie, because those who have no honor will lie about anything, so how would she know that we speak only truth? She won't; until she is shown." Kwei-vor'mekta explained heavily.

"I will show her what Yautja honor really is! I will not allow her to come to any more harm for _any_ reason! I can't just allow her to die… not after she saved Al-Nihkou'te." Hulij-bpe-thwei declared strongly.

"That diligence will need to wait until we are home. For now, she will be given the time to recover from her experience in the Temple… and her attempt to meet the Dark Hunter." The Elder said as he prepared a sedative and administered it to the ooman pup.

Half a day. That was the amount of time that it took the vessel to meet up with the interstellar transport and return to the home world. It was also the amount of time that Kwei-vor'mekta spent thinking about the ooman pup. Was it possible that all of her disrespect had stemmed from a belief that Yautja warriors had no honor, or might be no different from the Hard Meat? If that were truly the case, then why had the pup risked her own life to save Al-Nihkou'te's? All three of his sons agreed with no reservations that she had done so, and their description of events coincided with some of the sensor results from the Temple. This whole situation involving the ooman pup presented a strange and confusing paradox that made his head ache to consider it, but he didn't have any other choice. It was the type of thing that made him sincerely wish that circumstances were slightly different. If the pup didn't have so many injuries; if the pup hadn't been there to begin with; if only the pup would speak to him and answer the numerous questions he had for her; then things might be different. He knew that the only thing he could really do at this point was to get Guan-kv'var-de involved. He only hoped that another female such as his lifemate, might be able to get the ooman pup to speak. If that didn't work, there was another option that could be considered, but it would remove every shred of privacy the pup had. He knew that final method would not even be considered unless all possibilities were exhausted, and that it would only be used as a last resort.

Almost as soon as the ship touched down, the captain was demanding that the ooman be removed immediately, and never brought on board again. He chose to carry the pup himself since only a female, or an Elder of higher rank would dare to question him about it. Hulij-bpe was not fond of that idea at all. Kwei-vor'mekta then had to explain that, being a newly made Young Blood, he could easily be challenged by any one of higher rank for possession of the pup. It was only then that he was able to carry the still sedated ooman to his home.

Guan-kv'var-de was polishing her awu'asa at the moment when her three sons entered the dwelling. Each carried the skull of a drone in their hands as they entered, but the proud bearing of both her oldest sons was a bit surprising to her, considering that none of the skulls were those of a warrior or a queen. Then she frowned in confusion when she saw the bundled up burden in her lifemate's arms.

"What do you have there Kwei?" She asked a little confused.

"It's an ooman pup, mother! She was in the Temple during our Chiva, and all the other oomans are dead, and she saved Al-Nihkou'te's life without anything worthy of being called a weapon! Since we couldn't give her back to the oomans, we brought her here, can we keep her?" Hulij-bpe-thwei blurted out excitedly.

"The ooman is a _female, and a pup_?" Guan-kv'var-de demanded in surprise.

"Yes, she is. She hasn't had an easy time of things either. During the Chiva, she was captured by a drone, and she used a small blade maybe three times the length of a claw to cut into her wrists. I think she was trying to preserve her honor and avoid being infested. The wounds she inflicted were deep, and would have been fatal with a little more time. We got her to the ship, and when she recovered from those wounds, she refused to speak to any of us. She also tried to greet the Dark Hunter by slipping out of the ship and deliberately walking off a cliff. There is more that I must tell you about her, but I wish to do that in private." He said as he made his way to the room where each of his three sons had been cared for when they were pups.

"Very well then." She said before turning to address her sons. "Find a place in your rooms to mount your trophies, but leave them out for now. I'll want to hear all about your Chiva when we get done."

Kwei-vor'mekta laid the ooman pup in the depression that served as a bed for pups. It was a shallow pit that was heavily lined with all kinds of furs, instead of a raised bed. This arrangement prevented an unsupervised pup from rolling off the bed and injuring themselves. He quickly unwrapped the little ooman who had been wrapped in a fur blanket during the walk home to hide her from prying eyes. Then, looking up, he saw that the door had been closed and they had the freedom to speak without being over heard.

"This little pup has been tortured by someone. I don't know who, or even why, and I can't _begin_ to imagine any kind of reason for it, but her back is _covered_ in scars from being subjected to some kind of whip. There may well be a couple of hundred scars on her arms from having them cut open, but the wounds on her back must number in the _thousands_!" He said sadly, as he finished removing both of the extra coverings that the pup had been wearing, and were used as wrappings during the trip.

Guan-kv'var-de quickly donned the mask attached to her belt and examined the ooman pup with a critical eye. The numerous scars on the lower arms of the pup sent chills down her spine, and she quickly switched the visual mode in her mask to see if there was any internal damage that might have been overlooked. The extra calcium buildup of previously broken ribs showed up clearly, as did the remains of massive bruising that was the result of damaged blood vessels in the pup's skin. She wasn't able to stop herself from looking up to see the pup's face, and there she saw further evidence of past damage to the lower jaw, that included a missing tooth or two, along with signs of old fractures in the bones of the pup's face. She switched back to the ultra-violet mode, and saw the somewhat baggy but lightweight covering that the pup was wearing on her torso, and she just _had_ to know.

"If she is properly covered, then how did you learn of the scars on her back?" She demanded dangerously.

"Setg'in had removed all of her upper body coverings to treat her injuries. Several of the wounds on each wrist were open and bleeding. She had already lost enough blood to threaten her life. I arrived soon after he got her to the infirmary. I gave her a few injections to heal her, and then lifted her so that Setg'in could put this covering back on her. That was when I saw the scars on her back." He answered softly as he pulled the ooman into a sitting position and lifted the covering to show the now angry female the scars he spoke of.

Guan-kv'var-de felt her heart skip a few beats and her mandibles go slack as she stared in pure horror at the nearly solid mass of scar tissue that did indeed cover the pup's entire back. She didn't know what could have happened to cause such horrific injury to a mere pup, and she couldn't help it as she reached out and felt the twisted mass with her sensitive fingers. Even though she couldn't really see where one scar left off and another began, she could _feel_ the differences in the scars, because some were deeper than others.

"Merciful _Paya_! She… she _has_ been whipped! What… kind of dishonorable _creature_ could do such a thing to a _pup_?" She demanded past ragged breathing as she stared in helpless anger at the scars.

Kwei-vor'mekta pulled the covering back down to the pup's waist, and laid her back down. "Now you understand why I didn't try to find a way to return her to the oomans." He said heavily. "She can't be very old, and there are too many signs that she's also been starved for a long time. I am at a complete loss as to what to do."

"You were right to bring her with you. At least here, she won't have to face such dishonorable treatment." Guan-kv'var-de said as she looked at her lifemate.

Kwei-vor'mekta began to tell his lifemate everything he knew about the little female, and even displayed the small blade that wasn't even as long as one of his fingers. It took him a bit of time, but he even told his larger lifemate about his suspicions regarding the ooman and what he thought were the possible reasons behind the pups actions.

As Kwei finished telling her everything he could about the ooman pup, Guan couldn't help but look again at the numerous scars on the little female's arms. "I will contact Than-guan. She's a good friend of mine. Both she and several of her sisters are noted healers. I will have her examine the pup with something better than the emergency units that are on a ship. She might be able to remove these dishonorable scars. If they had come from being punished as an adult, or from battle, it would be one thing, but this… this does the pup no justice to bear the proof of another's dishonor."

"The sedation that I gave her will wear off shortly, so you should take the pup with you to meet them." Kwei-vor'mekta suggested quickly.

"I'll make the arrangement once she wakes then." Guan said as she looked once more at the ooman who seemed at peace while sleeping.


	6. A New World

_She was being held down tightly by a rope. Her arms, legs, torso, and neck were unable to move. Any attempt at movement brought pain. The ropes tore at her skin when she tried to move. What was going to happen to her now? The basement door opened with a bang sending chills down her spine._

_"Mommy, Daddy?" Her voice was raw from her screaming. Recently they had thrown both of her arms on revolving blades that had cut deeply into her hand and part of her forearms. The flesh had hung apart showing the bone, blood, tendons, and muscles. Her parents had reluctantly rushed her to the hospital and told the paramedics that she was playing in the workshop when this happened. They did immediate surgery saving both of her arms, and they healed miraculously, not even a scar formed._

_She had tried to tell the doctors and surgeons what had really happened, but none of them would believe her. They thought it was the drugs making her hallucinate. After her release this is where she wound up, on her old bed tied down._

_"You rotten little bitch! You tried to get us in trouble!" Her mother's eyes were filled with pure rage. "You see how well that worked, now don't you? You know you deserve every last bit of this." She stood up straight putting on one of the smuggest smiles Lilith had ever seen. "Well, we'll fix that won't we dear?" Her father side stepped the women holding in his hands a brand new roll of duct tape. "Indeed we will."_

_Lilith tried to scream, she tried to beg, but her father forced her mouth closed and wrapped the tape many times from the bottom of her jaw to the top of her head and back around. Her teeth were pressed tightly together and held that way by the thick layers of tape that she couldn't move. Now terrified of what else they might do, she tried to beg once more, but her pleas might well have been made to a brick wall, as her father began putting the tape over her mouth and taking it around the back of her head._

_She had no idea how long they had left the tape on her like that, but the pain that she felt when they finally tore it off was unreal. Lilith screamed as she felt her hair being torn roughly out of her scalp by the sticky tape. She cried and wanted to beg for them to stop, but they didn't. Her mother kept ripping the tape off, and laughed whenever bloody hair came off with it._

Her eyes snapped open. The last thing she remembered was trying to jump off the cliff and then Celtic carrying her back to the ship, after that she had blocked everything out. Lilith lifted her eyes to a see ceiling of tan stone. She felt a little lightheaded, but she wasn't cold. In fact she was little on the hot side, and it felt like the air was thin or something because she had to breathe a little faster to get enough air. She sat up and looked around, because she didn't have the slightest idea how she'd gotten here. The first thing she noticed about her surroundings was that she was in a shallow hole of some kind. It was a really weird thing because the hole was lined and filled with lots of furs, skins, and things. Looking down at herself she saw that she still had on the heavily insulated arctic pants, but was only wearing the black T-shirt she'd taken from her mother's dresser as far as a top went. She frowned in irritation when she saw that only scars were left on her forearms and wrists.

'_What gave them any right to interfere? Why couldn't they just let me die so I won't have to hurt anymore? Maybe I should just try to stop caring about anything… all they're going to do is make me feel even worse than I did when they caught me.'_ Lilith thought in a mixture of anger and sadness.

Lilith looked out of the shallow hole that she was in, and realized that could get out of it with no problem, but what she saw on the walls of the room was pretty weird. There were lots of things scattered around that looked like stuffed animals, but she could tell that these were _really_stuffed animals! All of them had been living things at one time, but were now stuffed like toys or something. These weren't at all like that deer head, or large mouthed bass that her father had kept hanging in the living room. Instead, these things were floppy looking, like they were meant to be like the teddy bears she used to have on her bed before she'd been put in the basement. She wanted to take a closer look at them, but realized just how hot she was getting. She reached down and slid off the over sized boots that she'd taken from her mother's closet, and got up to pull off the insulated snow pants, she'd been given by one of Weyland's assistants. She got the pants off easily enough, and was left in the jeans that were two sizes too large in the waist, along with a couple of inches too long. Sitting back down, she quickly pulled the boots back on over the three pair of socks that she had to wear to fill in the extra space.

As soon as she got her boots on, Lilith stood up, and took another look around the strange room. There were a _lot_ of the animal looking things, but there were also a lot of small skulls lying around as well. It was _really_ weird. She stepped out of the hole easily because the edge was only half way up her shin. She started towards what she thought was a door, and nearly jumped in surprise when it slid open.

Lilith looked up and saw Old Bruce coming in the door, but the Predator that followed him was even bigger than Celtic! Her first reaction was one of fear, but then she got angry at herself before she even took a step back. She clamped down on her feelings and tried to force them from her mind. She didn't want to feel anything, and she didn't want to care about anything any more, because all that had ever done was cause more trouble for her to end up in. She stood there staring up at the two Predators as they entered the room. The big one that came in second was a woman Predator and it was pretty obvious the humongous breasts on her. The Predator woman knelt down in front of her, but was _still_ taller than she was.

Guan-kv'var-de looked at the tiny ooman female standing in front of her, and knelt down to not only get a better look at the little thing, but also to seem less imposing and threatening to the tiny pup. Even when she was kneeling on the floor, the top of the female pup's head didn't quite reach the height of her shoulders. She had easily caught the scent of fear, and that scent was quickly overpowered by anger before both scents began to fade entirely. She knew that both had come from the pup in front of her, but she wasn't sure why.

"This is Guan-kv'var-de, (Night Hunter) and she is my lifemate. We are what you oomans would call _married_. This room is to be yours for now. This is where we raised all three of our sons. I have brought you to our world, and to our home. Whether or not it also becomes your home will be a decision for you and Guan to make. My sons and I have already given our opinions in the matter, but we would like to know what you think as well. Before you ask… you will _not_ be returned to the world where we found you. This room was built with an audio feed to our room so we would know immediately if there was a problem with the pup who was in here at the time. Other than that, this room is sound proof, so no one else will overhear, should you wish to speak with one of us." Kwei-vor'mekta said before he let out a breath of frustration.

"I… _we_ are hoping that you will choose to speak now. I don't know _why_ someone chose to hurt you in the ways they so obviously have, but we know that they did. You do not need to fear that you will be hurt here, Little One. Because we do not allow such things to happen to pups. I know Guan wishes to speak to you, so I will leave now so that the two of may get to know each other." Kwei-vor'mekta told her seriously before he left.

Guan studied the ooman pup in front of her for a moment. She could see that the female was apparently studying her as well. She thought that was a good sign. Since it showed that the pup was intelligent, or at least curious about things. Then, thinking that perhaps things might go a little better, she gestured towards the sunken nest for pups.

"Why don't we both sit down for a while? Kwei said that he gave you an injection to make you sleep during the journey here, so it may not be completely out of your system yet. I know you haven't been awake for very long, because I checked on you a short while ago." She said as she moved to sit in the middle of the fur lined hole in the floor.

Lilith moved cautiously to the edge of the shallow pit or hole, whatever it was, and slowly sat down. She studied the Predator while she did. The Predator woman was tall enough that the top of Celtic's head probably only reached those rich gold colored eyes. Much like Scar, the woman also had a dark grey green skin with some tan areas on her stomach.

"Will you tell me who it was that hurt you so much?" Guan asked softly when the female pup was seated.

While she had _hoped_ for the pup to tell her, she hadn't expected it. The quick negative shake of the pup's head was exactly the reaction she'd thought she would receive. What she _hadn't_ expected, was the shocked expression and the suddenly overpowering scent of fear from the pup.

Lilith knew that she was going to be asked that question sooner or later, and she had even believed that she was prepared for it. She wasn't. As soon as she heard it, she had been unable to keep from thinking about how these Predators would react once they knew the truth. Thoughts of how much she would be made to suffer, and memories of countless beatings flew through her mind in an instant. As much as she didn't want to care, she couldn't help but feel afraid of what the Predators would do to her. She tried to back away to get a little more distance between her and the Predator woman.

The moment she realized just how scared the pup had become from hearing that one question, Guan knew that she had to act. Having raised three pups of her own, she knew exactly how to purr in a way that would quickly sooth and comfort a frightened pup. Faster than the tiny female would have thought possible, she was beside the little thing. The purr that she was creating was strong and powerful, but also very soft, almost barely heard. It was the kind of sound that was no more than a loud whisper, but would vibrate the entire body of the ooman that she quickly pulled into her lap.

She had avoided touching the female's back, and had pulled the ooman into her lap by the shoulders instead. Guan didn't know if that horrible mass of scar tissue on the pup would still hurt or not, but she wasn't going to take any chances. Sitting on the edge of the nest, she had the ooman sitting sideways in her lap while facing to her right. There was a startled reaction from the pup at first, but then she was pretty sure that she'd surprised that little thing by moving so fast. A few heartbeats after she started purring though, the ooman pup began to calm down.

Lilith had no idea what it was about the noise that this Predator was making, but for some reason she couldn't explain, it made her feel safe. The feeling of being held by two powerful arms that weren't hurting her was something she hardly remembered any more, but at the same time, was something that she had subconsciously craved for a _very_ long time.

Once the female pup started to relax in her arms, Guan knew that her purr was effective on ooman as well as Yautja pups. It was something that was only mildly surprising to her. She stroked the pup's upper left arms gently, while maintaining her soft intense purr to continue offering what comfort she could. The tension that she could feel in the ooman pup was not a pleasant thing to sense. The small body that was literally quivering and trembling in her lap seemed to under a tremendous amount of stress for reasons she didn't know.

Lilith wasn't having an easy time of things. She felt safe for some reason, but at the same time, she knew that she _shouldn't_ feel safe. She remembered the way her father had once held her. She remembered how her mother had once protected her, and made her feel that everything as fine. But that was before. That was before they had proven how much of a worthless mistake she was. A mistake that wasn't wanted, and _certainly_ wasn't loved. She didn't have to ask or wonder why her parents had started hating her, because she knew why. She knew that these Predators would soon feel the same way.

She didn't want that! She didn't want that to happen at all! If only… if only there was some way that she could always feel the way she felt right now… But she knew that it would never happen. Tears rolled slowly down her face as she thought about how these Predators wouldn't want her either. This one who was holding her was making her feel like everything would be okay, and she knew that it wouldn't. She fervently wished that she could stay like this for a long time. She was shaking from the force of her emotions and thoughts, and she never even realized what she was doing as she leaned into the huge Predator and cried softly. She hated feeling this way, and more… she hated herself for not being able to stop caring about anything. She knew that if she could just stop caring, then nothing would matter anymore, but it wasn't that simple.

Guan-kv'var-de could smell the stress coming off the pup in her lap, as the tiny thing began to cry. Although she didn't know what the fluid running down the little one's face meant, she _did_ know what those shuddering sobs were. They were indications of pain. She didn't think they were being caused by physical pain because of the pain blocker that Kwei had given the little pup. So that left emotional pain as the cause of this pup's current despair. She pulled the crying pup more firmly against her, and felt the rising anger towards the cause of this ooman pup's suffering. It was only when she thought about how this particular situation had come about, that she realized _she_ had actually caused it by asking if the pup would say who had hurt her so badly. The mere idea that just _thinking_ of the cause of such suffering could cause a reaction like this enraged the Yautja female. She knew that there were no laws which were actually _written_ regarding the care of a pup. Such things were so _obvious_ that they didn't, or shouldn't _need_ to be written as laws! The loving care that a pup needed to be given was such basic and fundamental knowledge that _no_ Yautja would ever think to with hold it.

She held the ooman pup until both the tremors, and the sobs had ceased. Then, she lifted the pup in her arms and carried her out to the main room. Holding the ooman so that the pup was actually sitting in her left arms, Guan used the small computer console to send a message to her friend, and was delighted to receive an immediate response.

"I'm taking the Little One with me to visit Than-guan. We will return later. In the mean time, you three Young Bloods need to clean your armor." Guan announced as she turned to head towards the exit.

Guan couldn't help the smug set to her mandibles as she noticed the instant change in her sons. All three of the young warriors immediately assumed a more powerful and confident stance and bearing as they acknowledged their mother's instructions, _and_ the fact that she had addressed them by their new rank.

Guan-kv'var-de's stride was unhurried, but full of purpose as she strode towards her friend's home. She had expressed some dismay at the fact that the Center for Healing was closed today, and had informed Than-guan a bit about why she needed the skills of a healer. She smiled as she recalled how eager her friend had been to meet an ooman pup who would now be living on their world. Her smile disappeared though when she remembered the reaction after telling of the pup's half starved condition. She decided then, that it would perhaps be best to allow the healer to see for herself just what the true extent of the pup's condition really was. _'I wonder why she refuses to speak. The atrocity that was committed upon her needs to be avenged, and we achieve justice for her dishonorable treatment if we don't know who to execute.'_ Guan thought with a slight growl of anger.

The pup seated in her left arm went very stiff at the sound of her growl, and Guan knew right away that the ooman pup thought it was directed at her. "Be at ease Little One. It is not you that I am angry at. We do not have much further to go, so just relax." She said in a soothing purr.

Lilith wasn't at all happy. In fact she was quickly becoming fed _up_! A few seconds after the Predator woman said that she wasn't angry at her, Lilith began to struggle to get down. She didn't want to be carried around like a baby anymore, and she was _not_ going to allow it.

There were only a few hundred nok left in the trip to Than-guan's home when the pup started trying to get free. Guan-kv'var-de knew right away that the ooman wanted down, but she was not about to allow the little thing to be placed in any type of danger. "If I let you down to walk on your own then you will hold my hand. I will not allow you to run off and get hurt by something you wouldn't recognize as dangerous."

Lilith gaped up at the Predator in stark disbelief! Was this thing seriously going to treat her like… like a _baby_? Oh, no! Not no, but _hell no_! That just was _not_going to happen! She flung herself to her left and out of the Predator's arms. Landing on her hands and knees, she quickly scrambled to her feet and backed away from the woman who was more than twice her height, while shaking her head with an angry scowl.

Guan was no mere Young Blood, and she was certainly no fool. She had felt the muscles of the pup tense in preparation for the move, and though she could easily have stopped it, she didn't. She knew there was no way that the little pup could be fatally hurt by such a short fall, and if the pup _was_ hurt in any way that her friend would be more than able to tend to he injury. But the _only_ reason that she had allowed the intended escape to begin with; was that she knew this ooman pup was more mature than a Yautja pup of the same size. When the female pup backed a short distance away, and made a face at her, the slight shift of the wind brought her the scent of anger from the pup. She knelt down, and looked the ooman pup straight in her eyes.

"I am aware that you can understand me, or at leas much of what I say. How much you understand is something that I don't know, and _can't_ know until you speak to me. Therefore, I have no choice but to assume that you can not fend for yourself yet, and I will have to treat you that way. You do not appear to enjoy that prospect, and if that's true, then you can easily change this by simply speaking. I realize that you are young Little One, but how young, I don't know, and won't unless you speak to me. By choosing not to speak, you are leaving me no other choice but to guess and assume many things about you. I will admit that Hulij-bpe's birthing was very hard on me, because he was _much_ larger than he should have been at birth." Guan said seriously. "So large in fact, that I was told not to expect to become pregnant again, because even though female are almost always larger than males, he was even larger than a female pup. Getting pregnant with Setg'in was like a gift from Paya, but giving birth to him rendered me unable to _ever_ get pregnant again! So I _never_ expected to be raising another pup. _Especially_ an ooman pup like yourself! I am only telling you this, so that you can know what to expect from me. I will treat you with the same level of respect that you show to me." She added firmly.

Lilith stared at the Predator woman with pure rage in her eyes. This _thing_ was flat out telling her that since she was acting like a baby, she was going to be treated like one! She positively _hated_ the fact that she was now stuck on some strange world she didn't even know the name of, and there was no way that she could ever talk the way these Predators did, so _why_ had they brought her here? It was a question that she wanted answered, but at the same time, she was horribly afraid of what that answer would be


	7. Doctors,Drowning,and humiltation

Guan-kv'var-de's mandibles almost went slack as she _easily_ recognized the tensing of the pup's body which signified that the little female was ready to bolt. She_knew_ that the tiny female was giving her an expression of pure anger, but that was perfectly fine with her. As far as she was concerned this pup had issued a challenge to make her speak, and if there was one thing _no_ Yautja could resist, it was a challenge of any kind. Guan-kv'var-de fully accepted the unspoken, but obvious challenge from the ooman pup, and she intended to emerge victorious.

Guan knew that the ooman was angry at her. Well… angry might be an understatement, but that was fine with her. If she got the pup angry enough, then the little female ooman just _might_ give up her silence. She had decided that since this ooman was a pup, and was also acting like one, that she would treat her as such. After having spent several ooman decades raising three male pups of her own, Guan knew quite a lot about how a pup might react to different things. One thing she knew for certain was that _this_ particular pup had been treated so dishonorably, that any type of spanking was out of the question as far as discipline was concerned. The poor thing had obviously suffered _more_ than enough in her opinion.

As she looked at the tiny female who was still glaring angrily at her, Guan couldn't help but notice how badly the pup's coverings were fitted to her small body. The leg coverings were bunched at the waist, and had to be held up by a strap that took in the extra cloth. The torso covering was much the same, far too loose on the pup's body. It was almost as if the pup had been given no choice but to use coverings that were too large to fit her body. She had no idea how this pup had come to be in the Temple of Passage, but she _did_ know that she could not allow the pup to remain in such a state of disgrace, because not only did the pup's appearance reflect on the ooman, but it would now reflect on her as well.

Lilith watched the Predator woman warily. There was no _way_ that she was going to tolerate being treated like a baby, by something that would have given her nightmares before she had learned that there were things even _worse_ than monsters. When the Predator kept still and just sat there kneeling down and watching her, Lilith decided that she'd had enough, and turned to leave. She didn't know were she would go, but any place where she was alone would have to be better than being treated like a baby!

As soon as the tiny ooman turned to leave, Guan moved. With the innate grace, and deadly silence that her species was known for, along with a skill that had been honed to perfection by several hundred ooman years of training, she was beside the ooman in an instant.

Lilith gasped in shock and surprise as she was swept up into strong powerful arms. Almost instantly, she had tried to struggle to get free, but it was too late. The Predator woman had her in a hold that while wasn't at all painful, still wouldn't allow her to get free. She snarled as angrily as any wild animal as she fought in vain against the hold, but it was simply no use. This Predator was _not_ going to let go!

"Relax, Little One. I will not hurt you, but I will not allow you to run amok either. Right now, I am taking you to the home of one of my friends. She is a healer, and I think you will like her. She is eager to meet you, and her sisters will be there as well." Guan said as she resumed walking towards her friend's home.

Neither Guan, nor the still struggling pup in her arms was forced to wait for long after she signaled her arrival, because Than-guan answered the front door quickly.

"Guan, it's good to see you again! You must tell me… how did the Chiva go?" Than-guan demanded excitedly as soon as they had entered.

Guan-kv'var-de looked around the primary living space, and quickly selected a fur covered chair to sit in. She deliberately ignored the increased struggling of the ooman pup in her arms as she sat down.

"That is actually part of how I've come to be here today. All three of my sons were successful in passing their trial, but Setg'in found this ooman pup _inside_ the Temple of Passage during the trial!"

"_What_? What the pauk were those oomans thinking to take a pup into such danger?" Than-guan demanded instantly.

"I have viewed the recordings from each of their masks, and I've come to believe that the oomans no longer know what those Temples are used for. Only one of them was even able to read the ooman writing, and he apparently had some difficulty doing that. My thought is that they believed they were there to examine nothing more than abandoned ruins. If they no longer know the purpose of the Temples, then they may have simply been trying to learn of their history." Guan answered thoughtfully.

"If the oomans don't know what the Temples are for, then it is likely that their warriors will no longer be available for the trials." Than-guan replied quickly.

Realizing that she had a chance to learn just what had been going on at the pyramid, Lilith stopped her useless struggles. Besides, she was tired, and she wasn't doing any good any way. Trying to force the Predator's arms to move was like trying to push an eighteen wheeler by herself, a complete waste of effort.

"That may well be true. But there was apparently _one_ ooman there who'd had some rather extensive training in the use of weapons and in combat." Guan said factually.

"Why do you think that?"

"Well, we know that the Hard Meat drones acquire some knowledge from their host so that they can be better adapted to their environment. Nihkou'te ended up killing a drone that not only fought with the skill of a warrior, but even used a weapon in battle against Kwei-vor'mekta!" Guan answered.

"Why was _he_ even there? Elders are _not_ to be involved in a Chiva!" Than-guan retorted suspiciously.

"That is true. Kwei was contacted after Setg'in found this pup inside, and the shifting of the Temple separated them from her. Unfortunately, Kwei was unable to get to this pup before that drone did. I believe that the only reason he _was_ able to find this pup is because two other drones wanted to feast upon her, and the one that had captured her was intent on having her infested by the queen directly. A fight between the three of them allowed Kwei to catch up to them." Guan said heavily.

"Do you know for a fact that the pup _hasn't_ been infested? Has she been examined for such an infestation?" Than-guan demanded as she reached for the mask attached to her belt.

"I have used a mask to examine her internally. Plus she had to be treated immediately upon being taken to the ship, because she used a small blade not much longer than one of her fingers to sever the veins in her wrists in order to keep her honor while the drones fought over her. So she was examined then as well." Guan answered quickly.

"How long has it been since she found was in the Temple?" Than-guan demanded.

"About one ooman day, perhaps a little less." Guan answered honestly.

Than-guan let out a breath of relief as she looked over at the ooman pup being cradled in her friend's arms. She wasn't even thinking about it, as she retrieved her mask to examine the little pup. What she saw during her exam caused chills to run down her spine. She got up slowly in a state of shock and moved closer to the pup who had sustained more injuries, and had more scars visible than many Honored Elders!

Than-guan knelt down in front of her friend and looked the ooman pup over. She could easily see the scars the covered the forearms of the pup, and could even see that several of them had not fully healed. Switching visual modes with a single mental command, allowed her to view the numerous spots of damage to the pup's rib cage, along with the bruising on the torso and abdomen. She was trembling with unbridled anger as she looked up at her friend.

"Bring her to my examination room!" She ordered as she stood up and led the way.

Guan followed the healer down a short corridor into another room filled with many high resolution scanners, and shelves that held what appeared to be_thousands_ of different vials of medical formulas. In the center of the room was a well cushioned bed that actually looked _quite_ comfortable, and she placed the tiny pup down on it. Instantly she was slammed against a wall and faced by a truly irate healer as a few more female Yautja entered the room.

"You told me that she had been starved! You did _not_ tell me that she had… had…" Than-guan was so angry at what she'd seen that she couldn't even _think_ of a term that was appropriate for the injuries she saw on the pup's body.

"You're right! I didn't tell you everything. You wouldn't have believed me if I _had_told you! _No one_ would believe such things without seeing it for themselves!" Guan answered immediately.

The strong scent of fear assailed Than-guan's sense of smell and she turned towards the source to see the ooman pup getting off the bed. Then, as fast as any warrior in the midst of battle, she saw Guan move around the bed and lift the ooman pup in her arms to hold the little thing protectively.

"Relax, Little One. She is angry because you have been through dishonor. This is my friend, and her name is Than-guan. She is a healer who will see to your injuries and make certain that you are able to recover properly." Guan said with a soft but powerful purr to comfort the pup as she picked her up.

As soon as the slightly smaller one with gray skin had shoved Guan against the wall, Lilith had known there was going to be a fight. She knew from recent experience just how strong these Predators were, and she'd even seen how _fast_ they were as well! There was no way that she wanted to be caught in the middle of a fight between two of them. No sooner had she gotten off the bed, than she was snatched up into the arms of the Predator woman who'd brought her here. That was when Guan or 'Gwen' as she'd decided to call the Predator introduced the other one.

'_Than-guan?'_ Lilith thought as she snorted in laughter and almost burst out laughing. _'So if her name is Thing-One, where the hell is Thing-Two?'_ She wondered when she couldn't help but think of the characters from 'The Cat in the Hat' by Dr. Seuss.

When she little pup in her arms quickly suppressed a laugh, Guan figured that she was now over her fear, and placed the pup back on the bed. She watched closely as the healer adjusted the medical scanners and set them to analyzing the pup's bodily structure and injuries.

Than-guan activated half a dozen different medical scanners that she directed at the small ooman pup. She wanted to know everything about the ooman female's condition possible, so that she could make certain there would be no complications from the pup's treatment. Once she had the scanners in place, and active, she began to move slowly as she reached out and tried to take the ooman's hands to examine her arms. She couldn't blame the pup at all for resisting that particular exam. The soft soothing purr she began to emit was quickly echoed by both of her sisters and by Guan-kv'var-de as well. Even so, the pup was still tensed, and appeared ready to bolt at any instant. The sensitive systems in the mask that she's had made strictly for medical use easily showed her the level of damage from the numerous cuts, but that same sensitivity also revealed that there was damage from having both arms nearly shredded by some type of bladed instrument. There was little to no trace of that injury on the pup's skin, but inside the arms was a different matter. The signs of primitive ooman sutures were still there and readily seen by her mask. Stunned by such a gruesome discovery on the body of a pup, she turned to the scanner display to view the results of the ongoing scans. Than-guan had thought that looking at the scanner display would serve as a type of temporary reprieve from the sight of an atrocity she couldn't understand, but she couldn't have been more wrong.

Three different fractures in the bones of the face, all of a different age, two fractures of the lower jaw. The back of the skull had even been fractured at one point. One tooth was missing entirely, and another was broken down to the level of the gum line. There were even signs that the pup had had her jaw dislocated, and then relocated by blunt force. Then there were the ribs of the pup. Than-guan's mandibles drooped in horror as she saw that no less than fifteen of those ribs had been broken a total of more than forty times! Traces of massive abdominal bruising that could only be the result of being battered by another who was physically _much_more powerful was clearly evident because much of those bruises weren't yet healed! Then she saw two more results that made her blood run cold, and sent chills of pure horror through her body.

"Thwei… give the pup an injection consisting of equal parts of vials one thirty six, two fifty eight, and five ninety seven." Than-guan told her sister in a voice that literally shook with emotion.

"I am Than-guan-thwei; Than-guan's sister. This will make you feel better." She said after quickly mixing the formulas her sister had ordered, and preparing to give the injection slowly. She'd heard how Guan had spoken to the ooman pup, and therefore was sure that the pup could understand what was being said to her.

As soon as this Predator woman introduced herself, Lilith burst out laughing. She couldn't help it. _'Now I know where 'Thing-Two' is!'_ She thought still laughing. Part of what was so funny to her, was that she _really_couldn't tell any difference between 'Thing-One', and 'Thing-Two'. Her laughter was abruptly cut short when she spotted the needle looking thing that the Predator was holding. Unable to tear her eyes away from a needle that was even longer than her entire hand, Lilith began trying to back away from it, and the Predator moving it towards her.

Standing behind the little female, Guan gently placed her right hand on the pup's shoulder, and wasn't the least bit surprised when the little female jumped in fright. The acrid scent of fear from the pup was so strong she could almost taste it. She started that same soothing purr that had calmed the pup before, but noticed that this time, it had little effect.

Than-guan-thwei knew the ooman was afraid, and she could see exactly what the pup was looking at while trying to escape in some fashion. "Easy Little One. I need to put some serum into your body to make you feel better. I won't put the injector all the way in, because you're too small for that. Now if you'll just let me see your left shoulder, I can give this to you." She said softly.

Lilith shook her head with wide eyes and ragged breath as she looked at the huge needle the Predator wanted to stick her with. A shot in the butt was one thing, and it was better that way sometimes because she couldn't see how big the needle was. _This_ time, she could see the needle that was meant for her arm! As soon as she tried to get away from that huge thing, Gwen had grabbed her and held her so that she couldn't get away. Tears began to roll down her cheeks as she watched the needle that was a big as a pencil getting closer to her shoulder.

"Wait, stop! Give her some topical pain blocker on her shoulder first. She's been hurt enough!" Than-guan spoke up quickly while still leaning heavily against the table full of medical equipment that ran along the wall.

"I have that on the tip of my claw. I can see that she's not as well muscled as a Yautja pup would be, so I thought she might need it." Than-guan-thwei answered immediately.

"I am Yeyinde, (Brave One) sister of Than-guan, and Than-guan-thwei. Just relax Little One. The pain from the injection will not last long, if it hurts at all." Said a tan colored Predator that stepped over and pulled up her sleeve to bare her left shoulder. Lilith tried to fight as the one with the huge needle smeared some goop on her skin and waited a minute before slowly sticking the needle in her upper arm. Lilith couldn't prevent the whimper of pure terror that escaped her closed lips as the needle touched her arm. She just knew that she was now going to be hurt the same way that her parents had hurt her, and that thought terrified her.

Suddenly, Lilith let out a breath of surprised relief when the needle didn't really hurt even a fraction as much as she thought it would. Sure there was a sort of light pinching sensation, but that was nothing compared to what she was used to feeling. She watched apprehensively as the Predator slowly injected the stuff into her arm, and wondered why they weren't making her feel something to scream about. Only a little of the weird glowing stuff had been put in her arm when she started to feel a strange but pleasant warmth spreading down the inside of her arm. Lilith's mouth fell open, as the warmth slowly spread through her body. It was a nice feeling, but one that made her feel just a little sleepy too. Then all of it was in, and Thing Two pulled the needle out. That wonderful warm feeling was spreading, and every where that it went, Lilith could feel herself getting tired, and sleepy. No matter how hard she tried, Lilith couldn't keep her eyes open.

Guan kept purring until the little pup she was holding was soundly asleep. Then she gently laid the ooman pup down comfortably, and turned looked up at her friend.

"Why did you want her to sleep right now? I told you a short while ago that she slept during the trip here." Guan demanded firmly.

"Not… not here. I will not risk waking that pup now." Than-guan said heavily through a ragged breath.

Guan followed all three of the sisters back into the primary living space and quirked her mandibles in a frown of annoyance when Than-guan quickly grabbed a bottle of C'ntlip and poured four _large_ portions into four cups. The healer then handed each female a cup and not only kept one for herself, but kept the bottle near as well.

"Why do I have a suspicion that I'm not going to like what you have to say?" Guan asked hesitantly as she noticed the healer's hand shaking while holding the cup.

"Someone beat her…"

"I _know_ that! Kwei showed me the abomination of her back." Guan answered quickly as she started to get angry.

"No… I mean they _beat_ her! With their fists! They did it to force her into submission so they… they could… _breed_ her! It… it couldn't have happened more than two or three ooman days ago… the damage is still there. The bruises from whoever held her arms and the other who held her legs are still there. They… that_creature_ even used her waste orifice for breeding! They… she…" Than-guan stammered before drinking the entire cup of strong alcohol down to bolster her nerve for what else she needed to tell her friend.

"She's been nearly killed on several occasions. The medical scanner report said that the… the _atrocity_ on her back was done all at once! Then, there are_hundreds_ of burns on her thighs that stop just at the level of the muscle beneath her skin! The starvation you told me about has been so severe that it's even halted her physical development! From the results, she should have already entered her first predevelopment breeding cycle long ago… but she _hasn't_! Her body has been_forced_ to use every last bit of food she's gotten during the past several years strictly for growth! Then there's the dishonorable state of her clothing! Do you realize that she is wearing _nothing_ that was made for _her_? Everything she has on was obviously made for someone larger than she is! The foot coverings are being padded by no less than three layers of thick cloth beneath them! Then… _then_ there is the dishonorable fact that she has _no_ underclothing _at all_! No underwear of _any_ kind!" Than-guan said as she refilled her cup with hands that shook from anger and outrage.

"Why in Cetanu's name would _anyone_ do such things to a mere _pup_?" Than-guan-thwei asked in an anguished tone.

"I… I had heard that there were oomans with no honor… but… but _this_?" Yeyinde exclaimed in near despair. "This is something I would not have believed_anything_ was capable of! Not even the _worst_ of our Bad Bloods have ever treated a pup in such a way!"

"I thought I had understood why Kwei had brought her here. I knew about _some_ of those injuries… but I never would have suspected the rest." Guan lamented sadly as she took a large sip of the liquor she'd been given. Suddenly her eyes shot wide and her mandibles flared in total shock as a thought struck her.

"That's why!" Guan shouted suddenly. "That's why she tried to kill herself! She must have believed that there was no way for her to reclaim her honor against someone too strong for her to defeat."

"That pup shouldn't _need_ to reclaim her honor! What has been done to her has been happening for several _years_! It should be her family that avenges the dishonor she has been forced to endure! The mere fact that that pup in there has _survived_ such dishonorable and… _despicable_ treatment proves that she has more honor than _many_ warriors who have earned their Blooding Rights! That pup has _nothing_ to atone for!" Than-guan exclaimed bitterly.

"You're right sister. If what she has endured began years ago, then she would have been much too young to even try to resist such treatment. She wouldn't even have possessed the physical strength to fend off an ooman who was only twice her age, and from what you've told us, there may well have been more than one involved! There is no _way_ that she could have fought such a battle! It would be like sending a single warrior to perform a cleansing against a well established hive! It would be impossible for success in either case." Yeyinde reasoned angrily.

"She will need to be told that she's never lost her honor, not if she was able to survive _and_ somehow escape such treatment." Than-guan-thwei declared firmly.

Guan-kv'var-de was thinking hard about the tiny ooman pup, and the circumstances of her presence, when a _very_ disturbing thought occurred to her. She looked up from her C'ntlip and glanced at each of her three friends. "The other oomans who were with her in the Temple of Passage…"

"They would have to be the ones who did such things to her." Than-guan interrupted as she caught on to her friend's thought.

"They had brought her along so that they might _continue_ such things! They didn't _know_ about the Blooding trial! They were going to _keep_ doing such dishonorable things to her!" Yeyinde exclaimed as she understood where this conversation was going.

Suddenly Guan thought that she understood things much better than she had before. "She wasn't trying to reclaim her honor! She was trying to use death as a means to escape her tormentors!"

"No! I won't believe that! What in Paya's merciful name would make you say such a thing?" Than-guan demanded angrily.

"I say it, because Hulij-bpe was himself nearly killed when he stopped her from deliberately walking off a cliff. Afterwards, the little pup was screaming angrily at him that she was supposed to die… that she _had_ to die!" Guan answered sadly.

All three of the healers gaped at their friend as they realized that what she had said could only be the truth. It was a truth that was so painful to think about, that none of them really wanted to consider it, but there it was. Than-guan refilled their cups, and each of the Yautja females looked down at the containers with disgusted looks on their faces.

Guan-kv'var-de bared her teeth in anger at what had been done to an innocent life. She knew all too well from personal experience just how few pups a Yautja female was able to conceive and carry to birth during their long life. There had been a few who had been known to spawn a total of five healthy pups, but that was incredibly rare, because two or perhaps three was the norm. It was for exactly this reason, that females wanted only the best and strongest males for breeding. With a strong male, there was less of a chance for a weak pup that might die at an early age. Raising pups to adult hood was both the greatest joy a Yautja might have, and at the same time it was also very distressing as well because those pups would eventually grow up and leave the nest. Being able to give life to so few pups, while living so long had taught the Yautja the real truth of a pup's worth. A pup was the very future brought to life! A newly birthed pup had the perfect unsullied honor of total innocence and honesty. The pup would remain unblemished until it learned either honor or dishonor from the one who raised it. These were the reasons that pups were to be loved, cherished, taught, and above all protected.

"I'm keeping her."

"What?" Than-guan asked having not heard because she was lost in her own musings.

"I am going to keep that little ooman pup and raise her as mine. My family and I will _show_ her the honor which has been denied her." Guan said fervently as she looked up at each of her friends.

"Do you think your family will approve?" Yeyinde asked quickly. "If they object, then the pup can remain with me until you convince them." She offered.

Guan smiled at the healer because she knew that the offer was sincere, but then she shook her head. "They have already given me their thoughts on the matter. Kwei believes that the pup should be in a safe environment where she will not be whipped. He was the one who discovered the scarring on her back. Al-Nihkou'te has said that providing her with a proper home and an _honorable_ family would be a fitting way of honoring the way she saved his life during the Chiva. Setg'in is not so enthusiastic, but he agrees that the pup needs to learn proper respect and honor, and that he would like to teach her those things."

"What of Hulij-bpe? As his God-mother, I know just how stubborn he can be when he sets his mind on something. If he objects, then you might well have a problem later." Than-guan-thwei asked in concern.

Guan laughed although there was a bitter undertone to her laughter. "Hulij-bpe is the worst of the lot! He is already insisting that I accept the pup, so that he can have a little sister to protect and watch over. He has pestered me almost constantly since their return. He claims that he owes her for saving his brother's life… and that he likes her because she makes him laugh."

"Hulij-bpe _laughed_?" Than-guan asked in disbelief. "That boy… Young Blood is always so serious, and keeps such tight control over himself because of his somewhat low intelligence. He almost _never_ laughs!"

"I know, but he said that he's never laughed so hard in his life. Apparently, that little pup in the other room made him laugh so hard that his stomach hurt." Guan replied ruefully.

"Then it seems that the only thing remaining is to finish treating her injuries, and I will be glad to do that for you." Than-guan stated.

"Actually, there is something else I had in mind, and I am not entirely certain that it's even possible. But I know that if anyone can carry it out, it would be the three of you." Guan told them guardedly.

"Just what is it that you would have us do? It is obviously something serious, or you would simply have made the request." Yeyinde asked suspiciously.

"I would like to have _all_ of the scars removed from the pup's body. She should not have to live with the proof of another's dishonor. I know that removing those scars won't remove what she has endured already, but she wouldn't have to _see_ that proof each time she raises her hand, changes her clothing, or bathes." Guan replied fervently.

"Normally, I would not hesitate to say no. Scars are the mark of a warrior, they are considered proof of courage, and perseverance. But a mere pup shouldn't have any need to proclaim such things. I will say that her scars show that she has endured and survived _far_ more than most Honored Warriors, and many Honored Elders! But you are right about all of them originating from another's dishonor, and _no_ pup could deserve the foul treatment that caused her to have them. That is the_only_ reason that I will consent to do this! If she were an adult, I would not even _think_ of removing them!" Than-guan stated sternly.

"If she were an adult, I would not have asked this of you. I would never even have _thought_ of asking this from you!" Guan answered honestly.

"Good! Now, what have you obtained as far as clothing goes? What she's wearing now isn't proper for her size and most likely isn't even _hers_." Than-guan stated.

"I hadn't thought of that. But you're right; if what she's wearing is too big for her, then it must be another's cast off items." Guan said as she thought about it for a moment. "Do you know where I could obtain something that _would_ fit her? I don't have anything small enough for her to wear, so that is out of the question."

"I know an old Blooded Warrior who was crippled not long after his Chiva. He has some trouble walking, but he is still able to provide for himself by making clothing to order. The medical scanners would not only have the pup's proper measurements, but they would also contain information about the clothing she has on right down to a molecular level. Why not have him make her some things that would fit her properly?" Than-guan-thwei asked intently.

"_That_ is an excellent idea! If you would send him the information for me, I would be grateful. The Little One doesn't even have a single set of spare coverings to wear while those are being cleaned. She doesn't wish to speak to anyone, so taking her to get new clothing might be a problem with the questions that are _sure_ to be caused by her scars." Guan replied enthusiastically.

"I'll go do that now, if you like. Depending on how complex they are to make, they may have to picked up the day after tomorrow. He does have a lot of automated equipment that helps him though, so it shouldn't take much longer than that." Than-guan-thwei said as she stood up.

"Why does the pup not speak? You said earlier that she screamed at Hulij-bpe, so does she not speak otherwise?" Yeyinde asked suddenly.

"I don't know the reason she chooses not to speak. But she won't. In fact, the only reaction I got from her when I asked who had harmed her so was one of fear. Who ever has done such things to her may have wanted her silence to hide what they've done, and so far she only seems to speak during severe stress." Guan answered carefully before looking over at Thwei. "I would appreciate that. I'm not concerned about cost, but I _do_ want quality. I've seen the kind of clothing that falls apart after being worn only a few times, and I don't want that for the Little One."

Than-guan-thwei left the room to retrieve some information from the medical computers, before sending the information to her acquaintance.

"Let's finish our drinks, and then we can go wake the Little One and give her a bath. A good hot soak should do her some good." Than-guan said to change the subject and gain some time to gather her thoughts in peace.

_Lilith hated herself. She had begun to hate herself because she had also begun to hate her parents. She didn't want to hate them, she really didn't, but they kept hurting her so many times, and so badly that she couldn't stop from screaming and begging them to stop. They never did. Her parents always hurt her now, and they seemed to enjoy making her scream and beg. She had tried to apologize for whatever it was that she'd done wrong, but she didn't what that was._

_Now, here she was, chained up naked in a spread eagle stance. Her arms had long ago gone numb from being suspended above her head. Her wrists were chafed beneath the straps and the cuts that the hospital had sown up had even bled, so that dried blood ran down her arms. The welts and cuts on her body were still raw and some of them still bled a bit. She hung her head, and looked down at the cold cement beneath her bare feet that was stained and splattered with her own blood. She hated being hurt, and wished that her parents would just let her leave, but they weren't going to do that. Deep down, she knew it, even if she didn't want to admit it, not even to herself, that her parents were enjoying making her suffer._

_The door to the basement slammed open and her mother came storming down the stairs into the basement._

"_Well now, you little bitch! Your father thinks that duct tape might have finally shut your worthless ass up! Now since he's at work trying to pay for all the fucking bills that your worthless ass keeps racking up, I'm going to find out if it really did work!" Her mother said in a snarl._

_Lilith whimpered in fresh fear. All she wanted was for the hurting to stop. Suddenly, she was screaming at the top of her lungs as her mother threw lemon juice on the still open cuts! The cruel smile on her mother's face was something that she knew would give her nightmares as the woman almost laughed while pouring some of the lemon juice into her hand. "Talk now, you worthless bitch, because every time you open your mouth, you prove just how fucking worthless you really are!" Her mother sneered before deliberately rubbing the numerous cuts and wounds on her body with the hand full of lemon juice!_

Lilith screamed and struggled against the hand she felt on her ribs. She moved quickly away from it, only to come face to fang with the concerned face of a large gray Predator. Lilith froze in confusion, and it took her a minute or two to realize that she wasn't locked or chained in the basement anymore. She stared at the Predator for a second before her face twisted in anger and she tried to roll away from the oversized woman. Almost instantly, Lilith found herself being lifted into a pair of strong arms that were all too familiar to her now, and she knew that struggling was useless. She released a loud snarling growl of anger directed strait up at the Gwen's face while she struggled anyway.

"Relax Little One. You are among honorable Warriors who will ensure that you are safe. Will you tell me why you were screaming in your sleep?" Guan asked as she held the frantically struggling pup in her arms.

Lilith shook her head violently. After the things her parents had done to make sure that she never spoke again, and the fact that she never wanted to reveal to these creatures just how worthless she was, she was determined to say nothing at all! Still breathing heavily from screaming in her sleep, she looked around and saw Thing-One, and the other one that she hadn't come up with a name for. Thing-Two wasn't anywhere around, and she was sort of glad, because even if it hadn't really hurt, she did _not_ want another one of those shots! She looked back at Thing-One, and suddenly realized how she could tell the difference between her and Thing-Two. Thing-One had a bracelet of teeth or claws of some kind on her right wrist, and she knew that Thing-Two hadn't had that when she had been given the shot.

Lilith frowned in irritation when she heard Gwen start making that purring sound. It was true that it made her feel a little better, but she knew that she shouldn't feel better, because things were only going to get worse, and she'd be hurting again. She looked up at the Predator woman holding her and stuck out her tongue and crossed her eyes at the woman.

Guan couldn't help it when her purr faltered and stopped as the female pup in her arms made that face at her. It had been the absolute last thing she had expected. She knew that each of her sons had received such treatment, and that Setg'in had somehow become a favored target for it, but she'd never thought that such things would be directed at her. She looked down at the tiny ooman in confusion, and saw that the pup was settling back in her arms and smiling in a pleased fashion. Seeing this, Guan sought to make the pup feel secure and started purring again. This time, her eyes shot wide as the pup made a _very_ disgusting sound from her mouth that was usually only heard when relieving excess gas! She was so shocked at the noise that she had stopped purring without even realizing it. Guan gaped at the pup in pure disbelief as the little female turned her attention elsewhere. She stared at the pup for a moment, and then started purring once more. She had intended it to be very soft and gentle, and was sure that it would make the pup feel more at ease.

When Lilith heard and felt Gwen start making that noise the third time, she decided to pull out all the stops! She remembered what one of the boys at her elementary school had taught her one day while they had been goofing off during recess. She pulled her hands to her face, and tucked her lips in, before placing the palms of her hands against her mouth, with her fingers brushing her ears. The result was an _impossibly_ loud noise exactly like someone who had a _lot_ of excess gas on their stomach and was having some _serious_ trouble on the toilet! She made that incredibly loud farting sound go on for as long as she had air in her lungs, which was _much_ longer than an actual fart would have lasted!

Three sets of eyes went wide, three sets of mandibles drooped, and three jaws dropped in shock at the very long, very _loud_, and _very_ disgusting noise being made by the ooman pup! The blast of truly obscene, and really obnoxious noise continued for much longer than any of the three Yautja would have thought possible. Once the ooman pup finished making that unbelievable noise, she lowered her hands to her lap and sat quietly.

Guan was completely unable to understand why the pup had made such disgusting sounds. She didn't smell any fresh fear emanating from the ooman in her arms, but she was sure that the pup was still somewhat irritated by something. That much was obvious by the way the pup was acting. Wanting to calm and sooth the little ooman quickly she made the most intense purr she could, only to be interrupted once again by that incredibly rude noise.

"I don't think she wants you to keep purring." Than-guan said in surprise.

"What makes you think that" Guan asked.

"Because she does something to startle you into stopping each time you try." Than-guan answered bluntly.

"Do you not want me to purr, Little One? It seems to make you feel better." Guan asked as she looked down at the pup in her arms.

Lilith crossed her arms over her chest, shook her head, and glared at Gwen. She knew that it would only be a matter of time before these Predators started hurting her, and she did _not_ want to start loving or caring about them the way she had once loved her parents. She knew that sound they made would make her feel better, and that would make her want to care about these Predators. But then she would feel even worse when they started making sure that she suffered because of how worthless she was. She didn't want that. She didn't want to care, because then it would hurt too much when they started hating her like her parents had done. Lilith suddenly looked up as the door to the room slid open with a hiss, and Thing-Two walked in.

"Well the bad news is that it will take him a few days to obtain plenty of material to make a few sets of clothing for her, _but_ he said that he can have one set of clothing ready just before the evening meal. Between that, and what she has on, she'll at least be able to wear clean clothing each day until things are ready." Than-guan-thwei said with a slight smile as she walked in. "He was actually a little excited about the prospect of making something like this. He said that he's seen a few recordings of ooman clothing, and that he'll try to make something the pup will like, because they rarely wear the types of clothing that we do."

"I hadn't thought about that. What do you say about it, Little One? Would you wear the kind of clothing we have on?" Guan asked with an intent look at the pup in her arms.

Lilith's eyes bulged as she looked at the so called 'tops' that these Predator women were wearing. Their 'jiggly bits' or boobies were hardly even covered! Then her gaze slid lower as she looked at the strange little _flap_ that hung between their legs. _'Oh no! No! There is no way that I'm showing my boobies or my butt like that! That's not even a bikini! And I don't see no beach around here!'_ She thought in shock before shaking her head with a stunned expression on her face.

"I would say _that_ qualifies as a 'no', wouldn't you?" Yeyinde asked with a small laugh.

"Yes, I would. Than-guan do you have a bath I can use to get her cleaned up some? I swear that I can smell dried blood on her." Guan asked suddenly.

"You do smell it, and so do I, because some of it hasn't flaked off of her arms yet. And yes, there is a bathing pool here. One that's large enough for rehabilitation use if it's needed that way." Than-guan replied readily. "Come, I'll lead you to it. I think we could all use a nice hot soak."

"Thank you." Guan said before directing her attention to the pup in her arms. "Well, Little One. Let's get you cleaned up and looking like a proper young ooman." She added as she followed her friends to another room.

Lilith looked around with interest as she was carried into a room with a large pool sunk into the floor. Small wisps of steam curled up from the surface of the water. As soon as they entered, Gwen put her down on her feet, and began to remove her own clothes. Lilith turned away in embarrassment because she'd often been told that she wasn't supposed to see people naked, but then that had been before the basement.

"Take off your clothes Little One. You can't take a bath while wearing them you know." Gwen instructed her.

Lilith's face quirked in shame. Even though she'd spent the past four years huddled naked in her basement, she still didn't like the idea of being without clothes, especially after what her father had done to her when he'd pulled his clothes off. She sat down and pulled off the black boots she gotten from her mother's closet, before taking off the three pairs of socks. Then she unbuckled the belt, took off her shirt, and slid out of the black jeans. _'At least it isn't cold in here like it was in the basement.'_ She thought as she walked over to the edge of the pool of water and looked down at it.

"Well don't just look at it; get in!" She was told right before she felt a light nudge on her back.

Lilith had no idea who had said it, and at that instant she didn't care. What mattered right then was the light push that had taken her balance away. For brief instant she fought to regain her footing, and failed completely.

The water was almost scalding hot as she plunged straight to the bottom. She tried to scream because of the sudden sensation of water that was too hot hitting her face, but when she tried to take a breath to scream, she only drew that water into her lungs. Terrified panic flooded her mind as she tried to fight her way back to the surface to be able to breathe, but having never learned how to swim, she couldn't make it. Her feet toughed the bottom, and she could feel that her arms were part way out of the water, so she tried to jump so she could breathe again. Floundering and choking, her struggles became even more frantic because she wanted so desperately to breathe.

Suddenly, her left arm was grabbed forcefully and she was hauled from the bottom of the water to be cradled by two strong arms while someone pounded on her back to help her clear her lungs. Coughing, hacking, and sputtering, she slowly regained her breath, and cried the whole time because of how terrifying the experience had been. Getting beaten by her parents hadn't been _nearly_ so frightening as being unable to breathe when there was plenty of air so close that she could _feel_ it!

Slowly, Lilith was able to draw breath again, and though she was still coughing, she became aware of that purring being made by more than one of the Predator women. At that moment she couldn't have cared less about that weird sound that seemed to make her feel better. All she wanted was to be able to breathe again. When she was finally able to stop coughing she raised her head and saw one of the women kneeling in front of her with her head bowed and facing the floor.

Lilith looked at the Predator curiously wondering why she was sitting like that when the woman spoke. She knew from the voice that it was the one she had decided to call 'Thingy' because she hadn't been able to think of anything else that rhymed with her name.

"I am sincerely sorry for my actions just now Little One. I truly did not mean to place your life in danger. Had I known that you are unable to swim, I would have pulled you further from the pool, instead of nudging you towards it. I can only ask that you forgive my actions which were never meant to cause, or place you in any harm, and you have my most sincere apology." Yeyinde said fervently in the same type of very formal tone that she would have used when addressing an Honored Ancient.

As angry as she was, Guan-kv'var-de was currently more concerned about the ooman pup that Than-guan-thwei had yanked from the bottom of the pool. The acrid stench of fear from the pup hadn't dwindled in the slightest, and she knew the little ooman was terrified. The strong powerful purr was being echoed by two of her friends while Yeyinde moved to kneel in front of the pup with complete submission. She knew the healer hadn't intended for these results, but that did nothing to sooth her anger at that moment. When she heard to apology though, it became a _much_ different story. The formal apology being stated by Yeyinde was full of remorse, and even sadness. It told her that her friend truly hadn't meant for this to happen, and she was glad that Thwei had reacted as fast as she had. After the apology was made though, the pup only kept looking at Yeyinde with a high level of distrust, and even possible fear on her face. Guan realized then that the ooman wouldn't know how to respond to what was being asked of her, and that she would need to assist to help resolve this issue.

"Will you accept my sister's apology Little One? She truly did not mean for this to happen, and I tell you now, that this will never happen again." Than-guan asked before Guan could speak up.

Lilith looked from the woman kneeling in front of her to the one standing off to the side. If she didn't know any better, she would almost swear that Thing-One looked almost as scared as she felt. She nodded her head a little reluctantly because she wasn't sure of what was about to happen, but something told her that everyone was very serious right now, and that something very bad would happen if she _didn't_ accept the apology.

Lilith could hear the sigh of relief from Thing-One even over the sounds of Thing-Two and Gwen's purring. Then she noticed that Thingy was starting to shake a little. She looked back up at Gwen when the Predator started speaking.

"She has signaled her acceptance of your apology Yeyinde. She doesn't know our ways, and she still refuses to speak. Therefore, I don't expect her to make a formal acceptance, so I will make it in her behalf." Guan said carefully while trying to keep her anger out of her voice. "Your apology is accepted, and you are forgiven, Yeyinde. There will be no retribution for this action."

Lilith heard Thingy let out a shaky breath, and if she didn't know any better would almost have sworn that _Thingy_ was the one who had nearly drowned.

Yeyinde released a shaky breath and looked at the still frightened pup being held by her sister. She could see the pup still breathing heavily, and suddenly understood just how frightened the pup had been. Knowing that a dishonorable death was no more than a few heart beats away was _not_ a pleasant feeling! It was one that she was now familiar with, because had the pup _not_ accepted her apology, she would have been immediately executed as a Bad Blood for having jeopardized and endangering the life of one so young.

"Be at ease Little One, I will make certain that nothing like this happens again. I will also teach you how to swim so that this can never happen again with anyone else." Yeyinde said sincerely as she looked at the shaken ooman pup.

Lilith was placed on the floor, and all four of the Predator women started purring as they finished getting undressed. Then she was once again picked up and she nearly panicked when she saw that she was being carried into the pool. The water rose to her chest as she was carried into the pool, but then stopped going higher as the one carrying her also stopped. Slowly she began to calm down, and that was helped by the constant purring that was coming at her from four different directions.

"Here. Put her down on this. She should be able to sit on it and still have her head well above the water." Than-guan told Guan as she placed a rather odd looking seat on the step like bench that the others were sitting on as they relaxed.

The female pup's body was as tense and stiff as a strip of dried kainde amedha when she placed the pup on the elevated seat. The pup began to slowly calm down once she realized that she wouldn't be completely under water.

"Just sit there and relax. Lean back against the side of the pool, and enjoy the water. You will be fine so long as you remain on that seat, or you stand on this step. We will not allow you to drown Little One." Yeyinde said as she waded out in front of the little female.

Lilith sat absolutely still in the pool of very hot water, and slowly let her body become adjusted to it. She couldn't but shudder as she remembered how cold she had always been for the past four years. First she was always cold in the damp, chilly basement, and then she was really cold when she tried to stay in that abandoned building that had turned to be owned by that lucky stiff Weyland. Then he had drug her down to the South Pole and if she had thought she was cold before, she had had another thing coming, because it was _really_ cold there! But this? _This_ was pure heat that she could feel sinking right down to her bones, and it was _wonderful_!

Lilith couldn't remember the last time she actually felt warm like this. Whatever might happen later, she truly wanted to enjoy being nice and warm at this moment. She closed her eyes and leaned back against the side of the pool with a loud groan of content. It felt so _good_ to soak in hot water! After four miserably long years of constantly being cold, disgustingly filthy and even forced to eat of the nasty floor of the basement, she couldn't help but revel in the sensation of soothing hot water against her skin.

Yeyinde watched the ooman pup out of concern, and only started to relax when the little female leaned back and closed her eyes. In spite of the way that the pup seemed to be relaxing now, she wasn't about to move from in front of the pup. She had assumed this position to ensure that she could make a quick grab for the Little One if she fell of the seat or step, and into deeper water. She truly regretted the mistake that had nearly led to the pup drowning, because she really hadn't meant to harm the pup. She had been stunned into immobility when she saw that the little thing couldn't swim, and had actually thanked Paya that her sister had acted as fast as she had to save the pup's life. She watched as the pup appeared to enjoy soaking in the pool, and was relieved that even though the little thing couldn't swim, she still wasn't afraid of being in water. None the less, she maintained a careful and watchful vigil to make _sure_ that the ooman was completely safe.

"Don't let her sleep, Guan. She's starting to get _too_ relaxed!" Yeyinde warned.

Guan looked over at the young ooman female and saw that Yeyinde had spoken the truth. The Little One _was_ about to fall asleep in the pool! She reached and placed her right hand on the pup's left shoulder with a gentle, but firm grasp.

"Do not sleep now Little One. You must bathe now. I will hold you up and let you down slowly until you feet touch the step. Just nod your head when you feel the bottom." Guan said softly when the pup had opened her eyes and looked at her.

Lilith did as she was told, and found that the waves just reached her chin while she was standing up. She looked around for a moment, and wondered exactly how she was supposed to bath in a swimming pool. That unvoiced question was answered when Thing-Two began very gently, and very lightly rubbing some stuff in her hair. It had a sort of sweet smell to it that she wasn't familiar with, but it still smelled good. Then, once her hair was lathered with the alien shampoo or whatever it was, she was picked up and sat on the edge of the pool.

"_Paya's Blood_!" Yeyinde nearly yelled as she saw the countless scars on the ooman pup's legs from who knew how many small burns.

Lilith tried to move back a bit when all four of the Predator women crowded around her while looking at her legs. She was sure that they were mad about something, but she didn't know what they might be mad about. She glanced at each one of them and got the feeling that they were now mad at her for some reason. Suddenly, she knew just why they were mad at her. They were mad for the same reason her parents were always mad at her… because she was worthless. Tears welled in her blue eyes and she started to back away from the Predators before she was grabbed by her face and made to look straight at Gwen.

"Tell me Little One! Tell me how this happened! Who did this to you?" Guan demanded in a near snarl of pure rage.

When the pup only closed her eyes, whimpered, and began to absolutely _reek_ of fear, Guan realized that she was not going to get any kind of answer to her question. She wanted one though. Oh _Paya_ how she wanted to know the answer to that! But the little pup was still refusing to speak. It was a situation that was so far beyond maddening that there was truly no real description for it.

Lilith screamed in terror as she was pulled from the edge of the pool, back into the water. _'They're gonna drown me!'_ She thought right before she was pulled into a firm embrace against the vibrating chest of a Predator. Feeling something against the right side of her head, she slowly opened her eyes to find that Gwen was holding her tightly. The purr that the Predator was making was so soft hat she could barely hear it, but she could sure feel it.

Guan held the female ooman pup tightly for many long moments while she struggled with the kind of rage that made her want to kill something _very_ slowly. As angry as she was, there was no way that she would release her anger against a helpless pup who _certainly_ didn't deserve it. A glance at her friends showed her that they were just as irate as she was. She wasn't sure how much time had passed, but help the quivering and terrified pup until the scent of fear had begun to dissipate. Then she placed the ooman back on the edge of the pool and looked at the Little One.

The thighs of the poor pup were covered in so many burn scars that it was almost hard to tell were one stopped and another began. The only thing that let her see just how many there were was that each burn was a small round hole, as if the skin had been punctured by a claw. As she looked closely at one of the scars, she realized that it had been done slowly to inflict as much pain as possible. It was a sad realization to know that the pup still wasn't going to speak, and therefore the cause would never be known until this pup did decide to tell someone. Then a horrible thought struck her.

'_It was an adult ooman who did this to her, and because of that, she won't trust any adults! Kwei was right in a way, except that it isn't respect that will need to be earned, it's her trust!'_ Guan realized with a sinking feeling in her stomach. _'This little female must think that we are no different from those who did this to her! Telling her that we aren't will mean absolutely nothing! She will need to be shown, and it will need to be proven to her that we would never do such things.'_

"Thwei, some of those burns don't appear to be fully sealed yet. Go to the lab, and get vials nineteen, and one fifty eight. Mix them together in a bowl and bring them here." Than-guan said shakily before she looked over at Guan who was looking at the atrocity on the pup's legs.

"Why hasn't she been showing that she's in any pain?" Yeyinde asked appalled.

"Because of the injection earlier. There was pain blocker in it." Than-guan answered in a dull tone.

The three Yautja couldn't help but notice the wary and distrustful eyes with which the ooman pup was now watching them. To know that one so young would have legitimate cause to be fearful of _all_ adults was heartrending, and sadly, they knew that only time and honorable actions could assuage that fear.

Lilith looked back over her shoulder as Thing-Two came back into the pool room. The Predator had done as she was asked so quickly that her naked body was_still_ dripping water all over the place. She glanced at the bowl that was handed to Thing-One and watched as Thing-One and Gwen started rubbing some weird looking green stuff on her legs. What ever it was dried pretty fast, and Lilith saw that it turned into a thick crust like her blood had so often done. There was a strange tingling feeling from the stuff, but it didn't hurt. Then, as soon as the stuff was dry, Thing-One used some more of that strange shampoo and started scrubbing her lower legs. At the same time, Gwen got a bunch of it and began washing her arms.

Lilith tried to pull away because she knew that she could wash herself, but the Predators weren't allowing that. She was turning her head in all directions as she tried to watch what all of them were doing at the same time. Thingy was using the back of her fingers to lightly scrub her back, Thing-Two was washing the left side of her body, Gwen was washing her right side, and Thing-One was doing her legs. It didn't matter how much she tried to do it herself, the Predator women wouldn't let her. It was _humiliating_! She wasn't sure what was worse, getting beaten, or being washed like a baby! Then, once she was covered from head to toe in thick lathered foam, Gwen picked her up and stood her in the pool.

"Do you know how to hold your breath, Little One?" Gwen asked her suddenly.

Lilith nodded her head with a glare. She wasn't stupid if that's what these things thought!

"Good! I need you to hold your breath and duck under the water to get the cleansing foam out of your hair." Guan told the pup firmly.

She watched as the pup took a deep breath, held it, and suddenly dropped beneath the surface of the water. Guan let out a short bark of laughter at the antics of the pup, because she knew that this little ooman had a fair degree of intelligence. She reached down to scrub the foam out of the pup's hair, and found that the female was already doing just that. She helped get rid of the lathering foam, and gently pulled on the pup's arm to let the Little One know that the task was finished.

When Lilith stood back up, she had her eyes closed to keep the soap out of them until she could make sure that there wasn't any left in her hair. She didn't feel any when she ran her fingers through her shoulder length hair, and slowly opened her eyes to check. Wanting to make sure there was none of that weird soap left she held her breath and dunked her head back under the water and shook it a few times while scrubbing furiously. When she stood back up, she was grabbed by the arms and hauled out of the pool.

Lilith's eyes burned with tears of humiliation. As if being carried around like she couldn't walk, and bathed like she couldn't do it herself wasn't bad enough, Gwen was now drying her off too! She wanted so _badly_ to make the Predator stop that her mind was racing for ideas. Gwen was drying between her legs when she gave the Predator a huge and loud raspberry. Gwen never stopped what she was doing, and didn't even stop that stupid purring when she'd made that noise. All it did was make Lilith madder than a drenched cat! She then got an idea for something really mean, and she was _sure_ that it would make the Predator stop, and probably kill her too.

Lilith's eyes locked on the huge breasts of the Predator woman in front of her. The glaring look on her face was nothing compared to the malicious thoughts in her mind as she snapped her right hand out. She grabbed the Predator's left nipple, pinched and gave it a hard vindictive twist, in what was known as a 'Texas titty twister'!

Guan-kv'var-de was being careful as she used the soft absorbent leather to dry the pup's body. The task she was performing for the ooman pup was so reminiscent of tending to a suckling that she couldn't help the pleasant feelings it stirred within her. She maintained a constant purr the whole time, even though she knew that the pup didn't like it for some reason. She wasn't at all surprised when the pup made that rude noise while she went about drying the little thing off. But suddenly she was dropping the hide and roaring in pain that originated from her left breast as she rose to a standing position. It was the absolute _last_ thing she had expected! She grabbed at her pain filled breast and looked down at the ooman pup who was retrieving the hide to finish drying herself off.

Guan was shaking with a mixture of rage and pain as she looked down at the ooman pup with narrowed eyes and flared mandibles. The only thing that stopped her from attacking and possibly killing the little pup was the fact that the pup was now calmly drying herself off as if nothing had happened. She had no idea _where_the pup could have learned such a painful method of personal assault, but she would never deny just how effective that attack had been! Her left breast throbbed in agony, as she observed the female, and suddenly she couldn't help but wonder just how many times the pup in front of her had endured the same thing. That one thought helped to cool the rage that burned through her mind, and Guan took several deep, slow breaths to still the rest of her anger.

Kneeling down, Guan reached out and grabbed the pup by her chin to make sure that the tiny ooman was looking at her. She was careful not to injure the pup, because it was all too obvious that such things had happened for too often already.

"_That_… was uncalled for! I have done nothing to you to deserve being hurt in such a way! Now have I?" Guan demanded firmly.

Lilith jerked out of the Predator's grasp, and stepped back with an angry glare. Then she pointedly held up the soft hide and began drying herself off once more.

Guan's eyes narrowed in anger once more when she was promptly ignored by the pup. Then she got an idea. If this pup wanted to act like that, then _she_ could be just as stubborn as the pup. She shot a meaningful glance at each of her friends and silently mouthed the words _'hold her'_. As soon as her friends had a solid grasp on the now struggling and… _growling_ pup, Guan retrieved the hide to resumed the process of drying the Little One off.

Lilith tried to struggle against the hold that the Predators had on her. They weren't hurting her yet, but it was humiliating in the extreme to be treated like this. Tears of rage filled her eyes when she couldn't budge so much as an inch against the powerful grip that she was held in. That was right before she realized that Gwen wasn't involved at all! Certain that the Predator woman was now going to make her suffer like never before, she screamed her frustration and fear into the Predator's face.

"Relax Little One! I'm just drying you off. I'm not sure why you are so upset right now, since you _have_ asked to be treated like this. By refusing to speak, you are acting like a mere suckling instead of a growing pup, and if you choose to act like a suckling, then you can expect to be treated like one." Guan said with a smirk over the noise the ooman was making.

Than-guan hadn't been too happy about restraining the pup like she and her two sisters were doing, but when she heard what Guan said to the little pup, she couldn't resist smiling. She watched as her friend used _very_ gentle movements to dry the pup off. In fact, she was almost _sure_ that more force was commonly used on an actual _suckling_! It didn't take an Elder to figure out what Guan's plan was, and she thought that it was a _brilliant_ idea! Speaking to the pup with the same level of respect used for a Blooded Warrior, while treating her like a suckling was _sure_ to show the pup that a greater level of respect could easily be obtained by acting properly and speaking normally.

"You can release her now." Guan said when she finished drying the pup's body and stood up. "You can put your clothing back on now Little One."

Lilith huffed in anger and went over to sit stubbornly by a wall, while the Predator women got their own clothes on. She glared at them constantly, and any time one of them looked over at her, she stuck out her tongue and gave them a _very_ wet raspberry.

Guan finished donning her own clothing and looked over to see that the pup was still sulking moodily. She knew that what she and her friends had done, had been not just humiliating, but embarrassing as well. It was obvious that the pup was angry at her, and that was perfectly understandable, because had _she_ been treated in such a manner, she would have killed whoever was responsible! It was plain to see that the pup was not going to get dressed without some proper encouragement.

"You don't have to wear that clothing if you don't wish to Little One. I'm sure Than-guan will be happy to put them in the incinerator for you. That is… as long as you _want_ to be seen in public without clothing!" Guan said with a soft smile.

Lilith's eyes bulged from their sockets as she heard that comment. Instantly, she was scrambling to pull on her clothes before they were destroyed. Four years of being naked had been more than enough in her opinion, and she was _not_ going through that again if she could help it


	8. Confused

Guan looked down at the now nearly clothed ooman pup and smiled to herself. Getting the Little One to do as she instructed was actually going to be interesting, as long as she thought carefully about it before hand. The pup definitely had a mind of her own, and she was _very_ surprised that everything the poor ooman female had been through had not totally broken the pup's mind. She was suddenly reminded of some old historical accounts regarding a few individuals who _had_ been captured by Bad Bloods. Some of the victims had even been female. Those that had been female Yautja had been repeatedly forced and tormented. A few victims had somehow survived to be rescued. The sad fact was that all of them had come away from the experience changed mentally in at least one way or another, while others had been changed radically.

Guan knew that the mind of this particular pup had been broken to some extent, but she also knew that it hadn't been _completely_ broken! The pup's refusal to speak was a clear sign of the torment that she had been through… But then there was the strong will, angry defiance, and blatant courage possessed by the pup to consider. _That_ was an obvious indication that as much as this little pup had been made to suffer, her tormentors _still_ hadn't managed to totally break her mind and will. It was about the only thing concerning the pup's condition that she could actually be glad about. Well, that and the fact that the pup was now with her, where safety could be assured for the pup.

When Lilith finished pulling on her boots, she glared up at Gwen angrily. _'Maybe I should call her 'Guano' instead of Gwen!'_ She thought with another glare at the Predator.

"Now that we are all dressed, we can go get something to eat. You have a choice Little One. You can either be carried by one of us, or you can hold one of our hands. I will allow you to choose the Yautja, but _only_ those two methods of mobility will be allowed to you, so you must choose one of them." Guan told the ooman pleasantly.

Lilith bared her teeth in a silent snarl of pure rage as she glared at the Predator. Then out of pure stubborn defiance, she stormed over and reached up to grab Thingy's hand. The whole time she did this, Lilith never took her narrowed eyes off the woman she was glaring at. She couldn't help but notice those extra fangs on the outside of the Predator's mouth spread just a little. _'Good! Maybe I pissed her off enough that she'll leave me the hell alone!'_ Lilith though angrily.

Yeyinde looked down at the little pup who'd chosen her to walk with in surprise. She found it rather difficult to believe that the ooman would actually choose her as a companion after the incident earlier. Even though a formal apology had been made and accepted, even a _very_ honorable Yautja would have had a difficult time accepting the acquaintance of one who'd nearly gotten them killed, even though it _had_ been a true accident. She almost started purring in pleasure before she remembered that this particular pup had a _wide_ variety of methods to stop that from happening, including at least one that was _very_ painful! Then she noticed the way that the pup was looking angrily at Guan, and realized that maybe she had been selected simply to spite the other female. That one thought quickly put a near total stop to the pleasure and relief that she'd felt upon being selected by the pup. Then, she realized that she at least had a chance to make things up to the Little One by making the most of this opportunity.

"Now that everyone seems to be ready." Guan began aiming that statement almost directly at the ooman pup. "Shall we proceed to the Trail Side Carcass, and enjoy a nice afternoon meal?"

"That sounds like an excellent idea! Dachande isn't very far from there, so it would be a nice place to wait until the order is complete. After we eat, we can talk and catch up on things while we wait. Besides, you _still_ haven't told us what all happened during the Chiva!" Than-guan-thwei said excitedly as the small group headed outside.

This time, Lilith was able to look around and see what things looked like on this alien world. She figured it would be a pretty good idea since she was stuck here. The first thing she noticed was that there wasn't a single street anywhere. They were following a well worn trail between widely spaced buildings that looked _sort_ of like Mayan pyramids. Huge trees and bushes were everywhere and the sky… if there was _anything_ that could prove she was now on another world, it was the strange dusky orange sky.

Blue eyes gaped in wonder at nearly every thing as Lilith looked around, and actually _saw_ what was there to be seen. She wasn't paying a single bit of attention to what Gwen was telling the others, because she was too busy taking in all of the unreal sights. She had to wonder why there were no streets anywhere, and not a single car or bus for that matter. _'Don't these Predators have any cars?'_ She wondered idly.

Lilith's curiosity about the complete lack of vehicles was forgotten as the walk went on for a long time. Having been locked in a basement for the past four years was now having a very negative effect on her. She hadn't been able to maintain her stamina through the normal exercise of walking around, running, or even participating in P.E. at school, and much like her experience in the pyramid, she quickly found herself becoming exhausted. In spite of how physically tired she was, she followed along determinedly at a near jog because of how much shorter her legs were compared to the legs of the Predators.

Walking beside the ooman pup, Yeyinde was well aware of the little female's actions. The breathing of the pup had become ragged and almost gasping a while ago, but the pup was making a very strong effort to keep up with them. She knew very well that the others were also aware of the trouble the pup seemed to be having, because of the concerned looks and glances directed at the little female. Suddenly, the pup's hand was nearly pulled from her grasp as the little thing stumbled. The ooman quickly regained her balance, but her pace wasn't quite as swift as it had been, so Yeyinde slowed down just a touch more.

It was easy for Guan to see that the ooman was having real difficulty keeping up with them, and she had slowed the pace they were walking at in an effort to spare the pup's pride. But when she saw the ooman stumble before continuing on, she almost called a halt to insist that the pup be carried. Then a mere hand full of steps after she had stumbled, the pup pulled her hand free from Yeyinde, stopped and bent over with her hands on her knees as she gasped for breath. That was when she realized that between the air which would be somewhat thin for an ooman, and the malnourished condition of the pup, that the Little One would _need_ to be carried.

Yeyinde knelt down next to the ooman who was gasping for breath as if she'd just run nonstop for half a day. The female wasn't even paying attention to her or any of the others as she tried to catch her breath. She knew the pup really didn't want to be carried like a suckling, and that she'd chosen this as the better of two choices, and neither of them were appealing. Her mind raced as she tried to think of a way to carry the little pup without damaging such a strong sense of pride and honor.

"You don't seem to have the strength to keep up with us Little One. That is because our air is a little different from what you have on your world. It will take some time for you to adjust to the air that we breathe. Until then, you should be careful in how you exert yourself." Guan informed the pup.

"Would you mind if I carry you, until you catch your breath?" Yeyinde asked as she saw a way to make her offer without degrading the pup.

As much as she hated to admit it, Lilith knew that she couldn't keep up with these Predators. They were just too big, and too fast. She hated the fact that she couldn't even _walk_ with these Predators, and now she was so tired that she didn't have any choice but to be carried like a stupid baby! She shot a disgusted look up at Thingy, and reluctantly nodded her head. She made no move towards the woman though, because she was still catching her breath. After a couple of minutes, when she didn't feel like she was going to pass out, Lilith stood up and stepped closer to Thingy so she could be carried.

Yeyinde pulled the little ooman into her arms and stood up. Then she shifted the ooman pup so that the little thing was facing forward and would still be able to look around. As the small group resumed walking, Yeyinde enjoyed the fresh air, and Guan's recount of what had happened during the Chiva that her three sons had just taken. Suddenly her eyes were bulging as she listened to the account of just how audacious the tiny pup had been while using her own body as a weapon against a drone. She and her sisters all looked at the pup in her arms with a bit of surprise to hear of such bravery from one so small.

"You're telling us that… that _this_ tiny little pup attacked a drone like a trained _warrior_?" Yeyinde blurted in surprise.

"Yes, she did. If she had not, only two of my sons would have survived to return me." Guan said proudly.

The conversation was brought to an abrupt halt by a menacing growl coming from Than-guan. Three females looked at the healer curiously as they wondered why the healer was suddenly so angry.

"That pup should never have been in that Temple! Not only is she _far_ too young, but she had to have made that attack with fractured ribs! She's lucky that she wasn't killed by her own actions!" Than-guan growled in a snarl of anger.

Guan turned and gaped at the ooman pup in Yeyinde's arms in disbelief. "Were your ribs hurting when you attacked the drone and saved Al-Nihkou'te's life?" She asked the pup softly.

Lilith was pretty sure that she was in for it now. From what she'd learned here and in the pyramid, she had interfered in some kind of very serious test, and now these Predators were mad at her. She really didn't want to know just how much pain she was to be put in because of this. She nodded her head reluctantly and refused to even look at the Predators.

Guan's face twitched as several different emotions vied for dominance. The knowledge that the pup in her friend's arms had risked its own life to save that of her eldest son was not easy to reconcile. True, she was _very_ glad that her son was alive and well, but she was not pleased with how that had been accomplished by an injured pup who could easily have been killed in the process. She stepped over to the little pup and gently took the pup's face in her hand to force the Little One to look at her.

"Thank you for saving my son's life! I want you to know that I am _very_ grateful that you acted as you did." Guan said as she struggled for a way to say what was on her mind at that moment. "But _why_ did you endanger _your_ life to save his?" She exclaimed in dismay.

Lilith pulled her head out of the Predator's hand and looked off to the side because she really didn't want to answer that question. She hadn't had any chance to think about anything at the time, but now that she did have time to think about it, she realized that she didn't want _anyone_ to hurt they way she always did when they didn't deserve it. She knew that the other reason she'd done what she had was because part of her had been hoping to be killed for it. She was so sick of hurting all the time, sick of hating her parents, sick of being a worthless waste of money, and sick of wanting to die and be done with it all. She didn't want to feel this way. She had tried to be good and do as her parents had asked of her, but that hadn't always been easy. Sometimes she'd just forgotten what they'd asked of her. Maybe that was why she was so worthless. She didn't really know, and she hated herself for not knowing what it was that made her so worthless.

Yeyinde could see the pain clearly in her friend's eyes, and it wasn't a pleasant thing to notice. She thought she understood why that pain was there. The mere_idea_ that a pup who had treated with such dishonor, and was sorely injured would _still_ have the courage and honor to place her own live at risk to save a total stranger sent many thoughts through her mind. She knew that the pup she carried in her arms would be in high demand by many. Here was a pup who could be adopted, loved, nurtured, and cherished by who ever she ended up with. She was young enough to become the living embodiment of the morals and honorable values that she would learn from whoever was lucky enough to claim her as their own. She knew that there were quite a few who would gladly fight in a death match to claim such a pup. If Yeyinde was honest with herself, she knew that she would be one of those to step in line for a chance to claim this pup.

Guan just couldn't believe it! How a mere pup could have been treated in such a way, she had no idea. She knew that there was more honor and courage in the mere pup than many Blooded Warriors could claim. Although she was truly glad that her son had been saved, she just could not see _any_ reason for a pup to risk their own life to do so. On one hand she felt like chastising the pup for risking her life, but on the other, she owed the life of her eldest son to this pup. She knew that if this little ooman had been killed by her effort that she would not have been able to live with herself.

"Do not risk your life in such a way again." Guan finally said flatly before turning away in frustration.

Than-guan quickly placed her hand on Guan's shoulder and gave it a firm shake. "Relax my friend. Al-Nihkou'te lives as a Blooded Warrior now, and the pup is no longer in danger of being harmed. _Both_ are now safe!" She said quietly.

Guan nodded her head to acknowledge what she'd been told, and took a few deep breaths to steady herself. It wasn't easy for her to realize that a mere pup who was already injured had been jeopardized by being placed in the middle of an active Temple of Passage.

Lilith gaped at the Predator woman who had walked off. She knew that Gwen was really mad at her, but the Predator hadn't done _anything_ to her! She hadn't even gotten _yelled_ at! It was so confusing, because the Predator's behavior was _not_ familiar to her!

'_Why didn't she hit me or something? I know she's mad at me! But she didn't even yell at me or scold me... what's wrong with her?'_ Lilith wondered in confusion as she watched the Predator walking ahead of her and the woman carrying her. She watched in confusion as Thing-One and Thing-Two spoke softly to her to calm her down as they walked on. Lilith couldn't hear what was being said, and that only added to her confusion.

Lilith kept a watchful and wary eye on Gwen as the group resumed walking. Nothing about the way the Predator was acting was even remotely familiar to her, and because of that, it worried her. She really had no idea what sort of things she could expect from Gwen. Anger, cruelty, torment, brutality, and even raw hatred were all things that she was now familiar with, and even used to receiving, but the way Gwen was acting was strange, and in a way… frightening, because she had no idea what to expect.

Lilith was jerked out of her musings when the group stopped at a large collection of oversized picnic tables and benches. The whole setup looked like someone was getting ready for a big BBQ or party. A few of the tables had Predators sitting at them as they talked and ate, but others were empty.

Guan pointed out an empty table that was far enough away from any of those that were occupied, so that there would be a measure of privacy for any type of personal conversations that might take place. Then, she walked over near the entrance to the kitchen, placed the orders for their food, and retrieved an elevated seat for a pup.

As she was placed in the booster chair that sat to Gwen's right, Lilith got pissed! _'A booster chair? They put me in a damn booster chair!'_ She thought angrily as she shot a glare of pure death at Gwen. The fact that the seat allowed her to sit at a proper height at the table didn't matter to her, what _did_ matter, and what thoroughly ticked her off was that she was _still_ being treated like a baby! She positively _hated_ being treated this way! It wasn't fair at all, why couldn't she just be left alone?

All the Predators were sitting down, and Gwen was talking excitedly about how well her three sons had performed during their Chiva, and it wasn't long before a lot of food was brought over to them. Gwen placed a spoon in front of Lilith, and she glared at the Predator angrily, as she thought that she was being treated so unfairly, that she wasn't even allowed to have a fork to eat with. An angry glance at the table ware that every one else was given showed her that they all had spoons as well. Then, the four Predator women started putting different things on a plate. Some of it was fruit, but other things were slabs of meat, and some of that meat was dried like jerky.

As soon as the plate was put in front of her, Lilith pulled it closer, grabbed the first thing she could and began to hurriedly eat it. Without even realizing what she was doing, Lilith quickly swapped what she had tried for something else that was on her plate. Whatever that was had tasted _horrible_, and she wasn't going to eat it until there was nothing else left. As rapidly as she could, she was shoving the food down her throat before it could be taken away from her. The entire time she kept a wary eye on the Predators at the table.

Seeing the ooman pup trying to stuff everything she could in her mouth as fast as she could was _not_ a pleasant sight to Guan, or her friends. She noticed Yeyinde about to say something to the pup, and quickly intervened. "Let her eat, Yeyinde. We all know that she's been starved, and now we see the unpleasant results of it."

Yeyinde nodded her head and turned her attention back to her own meal, while still keeping a watchful eye on the ooman pup to make sure the little thing didn't choke from eating that fast. She was pretty sure from the speed the pup was using to eat, that there was no time to savor, or even enjoy the food that the pup was rapidly going through. The fruits did not last long at all, and she was fairly sure that the pup had barely noticed what any of it had tasted like. Then the ooman pup was reaching for the last strip of meat on her plate, and it was obvious from her expression that she really didn't want to eat it.

Lilith swallowed hard as she reached for that strip of stuff that had tasted nasty. She didn't know what it was, but she really didn't care either. It had never been on a filthy concrete floor that was never cleaned, and it hadn't been tossed in a pile of her own piss or shit either. That alone made it a _lot_ better than what her parents had been feeding her down in the basement. She picked it up and forced herself to take a bite of it. She closed her eyes and made herself chew it until she could swallow. Then, before she could take a second bite of the stuff, it was pulled out of her hand. Lilith's eyes shot wide open when the meat was taken away from her, and she would have slid further away from the Predators if she hadn't been sitting in a weird booster chair. A wordless cry of protest left her mouth as she saw Thingy dropping the stuff well out of her reach.

"If you don't like something, then you don't _have_ to eat it, Little One." Yeyinde told the pup softly, before placing a few pieces of fruit on the pup's plate. "If you'll point out what you _do_ like, then you can more of that instead." She added sincerely.

Lilith gaped in stunned disbelief as the Predators each took something from _their own_ plates and put it on hers! She knew that her parents would _never_ have done such a thing! Even before the basement, when she had still thought they loved her, they wouldn't have given her _their_ food because she didn't like something. What she was seeing made absolutely no sense to her. On the one hand, they were treating her like a baby, but then… then there was this. Lilith didn't understand what was going on, and it made her head hurt to try to figure it out. Instead of trying to make sense of something that was completely mystifying, she resumed eating, and made short work of the second plate of food she'd been given.

Even though her legs were a little sore, Lilith wasn't all that happy about being carted around like a baby, or worse… like a package or something, but that was exactly what was happening. She knew from what she'd heard that they were going somewhere to pick something up, but she'd been paying more attention to eating than the conversation. She wasn't carried for a very long time before the Predators turned off the main trail and walked up to a building that looked really old. It was a sort of Mayan looking thing, and it gave Lilith the creeps to look at it.

Lilith was carried inside, and she noticed that they didn't even stop to knock or anything. Once they were inside, Lilith saw that there were racks with lots of things on them, but they all looked like the same thing except for the sizes. Some were bigger than others, but it was all those weird looking… well she wasn't going to call them skirts because they _sure_ didn't go all the way around or really even hide anything. Then there were the racks of tops just like what the Predators were wearing. Lilith made a disgusted face at the weird looking stuff that these Predators called clothes as she was placed on her feet.

"Don't wander off now, Little One. We are here to get you some spare coverings to wear, and you will need to try them one before we leave." Gwen told her while putting her down.

Lilith gaped at the woman with a mortified expression. Unable to believe that Gwen wanted her to wear things like this she walked over to the nearest rack and looked at what was there. The whole thing was full of those flap style half skirts, but then she saw the underwear that went with them and her eyes bulged from their sockets!

'_Oh hell no! There's no way they're putting that crap on me! They'll have to beat me first!'_ Lilith thought angrily as she glared at stuff that she _might_ wear to go swimming, but that was it, and _only_ if she had no other choice!

"Dachande, I trust this day finds you well." Than-guan-thwei exclaimed cheerfully as she greeted the shop keeper.

"Ah… I see that my favorite Healer has come for a visit… and with friends too. I am well my friend. Though I am also a bit confused. How did you manage to get such exact measurements of an ooman female?" The shop keeper asked as he entered from another room.

"That is a strange tale, Dachande, but first, allow me the honor of introducing my companions." Than-guan-thwei answered quickly. "This is my friend; Honored Warrior Guan-kv'var-de; my older birth sister, Than-guan, and my younger sister Yeyinde." She said formally.

"Then there is the last of my companions who is also the reason for our being here this day. This," Than-guan-thwei said as she pointed out the small ooman. "Is who we are calling 'Little One' for now. She won't speak but she understands _quite_ well. My friends… this is Dachande, (Broken Tusk) and he's a respectable cloth supplier. He also makes clothing as well."

The Yautja hobbled over to one side as he gaped at the small ooman standing in his shop. "I don't believe it! That's an actual _living_ ooman! Why is she here, and what do you plan to do with her?" He blurted in shock.

"She is here, because the oomans she was with took her to an active Temple of Passage. She was found by my sons who were taking their Chiva, and recognized as an ooman pup. All the other oomans are dead, so she was brought here after it was discovered that she was injured. I am planning to raise her here." Guan said factually.

"She has little else besides what she is wearing now, which is why we've ordered ooman style coverings." Than-guan-thwei added.

"Well… I only had the material to make one set of coverings in the ooman's size. It will take me a couple of days to get more of the type of cloth. I used some recorded images to recreate a pattern, and I discovered a type of chemical which alters the heat absorption characteristics of the analysis you sent me. Some of my equipment was able to duplicate that, and I've used it on almost all of the coverings I made." Dachande said as he hobbled back behind the counter. "I spent a lot of time getting my systems adjusted to make these. I am hopeful that the ooman will like them." He added as he placed a stack of clothing on the counter.

"This on the other hand… is something that might well be chosen by a warrior to wear." Dachande said as he placed a pair of boots on the counter.

Lilith hadn't really been paying any attention to the clothes the were now sitting on the counter, but she couldn't stop her eyes from shooting wide open at the sight of the boots being put on the counter. They were made of solid black leather that would probably go all the way to her knee if she put them on. But that was the really cool part about them. They were decorated with a strip of pure, snow white fur that looked like it was four or five inches thick and as wide as her hand at the top of the boots. She had to admit that they were the most beautiful boots she'd ever seen.

"Do you have a spare room where she can try these on?" Guan asked interestedly.

"Well… there is an empty closet there. I suppose she can use that." Dachande admitted pointing.

Guan picked up the clothing and the boots and stepped over to the indicated closet. "Come here Little One. These coverings should fit much better than what you have on." She said waving the pup over.

Lilith walked over and was immediately handed the bundle of clothes that even included those beautiful boots. Then she was ushered into the small room and the door slid shut behind her.

Guan had only taken two steps away from the closed door when a piercing shriek of pure terror shot from the closet. She reacted instantly to whatever might be threatening the ooman pup she'd decided was going to be hers and extended the double blades on her right wrist, not once but twice as she opened the closet. As the door slid open, she couldn't see anything that might be harmful to the pup, but the scent of fear was undeniable, as a second scream pierced the air.

Being locked in the basement had been horrible. It was damp, and very dark down there. But as dark as it had been, there had still been enough light for Lilith to see. When the door to the closet had closed there was nothing. Total engulfing blackness that seemed to swallow everything. She couldn't help the scream that tore from her throat when she realized she was now in the dark, but when the door slid open again, she saw Gwen with those huge knives jutting from her wrist and just knew that she was going to be hurt _really_ badly, and that was why she had screamed a second time.

Unable to see any type of threat to the pup, Guan snatched her mask from her belt and put it on. Cycling through every visual mode available showed nothing in the closet.

"I am sorry"

All four of the Yautja females turned to look at the shop keeper in total confusion.

"I have heard that oomans see differently than we do, but it didn't occur to me that she wouldn't be able to see in there. That may be what frightened her." Dachande said slowly in a remorseful tone.

Guan immediately retracted the blades on her wrist as she turned and knelt in front of the pup in a single motion. "Is that true Little One? Can you not see in here?" She asked.

Lilith reluctantly shook her head just a little as she tried to get control of herself. She expected to be hurt or punished by the Predator, so she was really surprised when Gwen only pulled her into a hug and picked her up. It was an unusual feeling to be held while not being hurt in some way, but at the same time, it was a feeling she had craved for several years now.

The thought of being unable to see at all was more than a little frightening to Guan. Being a Yautja, she had a mask equipped with several different visual modes that would allow her to see in almost any conditions. She knew that her natural eye sight had limitations and that in freezing temperatures, she would be able to see nothing, and the prospect of being rendered completely blind by such a thing was no different from being crippled. The realization that this pup had just learned what the result of such blindness would be like disturbed her. Lifting the pup in her arms, she turned to face the shop keeper.

Dachande's mind kept drawing a blank as he tried to think of some place that would acceptable for the ooman pup to change. Then he realized that if they had to leave the shop, and those coverings weren't pleasing to the ooman pup, then he might well lose this sale. Being unable to hunt anymore, he had taken up an occupation that would allow him to retain his honor, but if his customers weren't pleased by his service, then they would stop coming in, and he would be reduced to begging or stealing to survive. In a sudden idea, he motioned towards the corridor that led further back in storage areas and his own personal living space.

"There is no one else here, so you will be undisturbed if you go back that way, and find a place for her to change." He told them pointing while not moving from behind the counter.

Guan nodded her head, and walked a short distance in the back into the corridor, and set the pup down. "Change your coverings here, Little One. No one will disturb you, and you can still see." Guan instructed as she turned her back to insure that the pup had some privacy.

Lilith sat down and pulled off her boots, before removing the rest of her clothes. She then quickly sorted through the stuff that Gwen had handed to her and made a _very_ skeptical face at the G-string panties before she put them on. Then she found a small tube-like thing that she had no idea what to do with. Tapping Gwen on the leg she held it out with a curious look on her face.

"That is for you to wear to cover your breasts. Even though yours aren't very large, they should still be secured against being jostled, because that can be painful sometimes." Guan told the pup as she showed the ooman how to put on the breasts halter before she turned back around.

Lilith looked down at the underwear that she had on now and almost smiled, at the thought of clean clothes that were _hers_. It was certainly a far cry from what she'd been allowed while locked in the basement. The next item on the pile of clothing turned out to be a pair of socks that felt somewhat strange, because they were made of something other than cotton, but they were soft and comfortable when she put them on, so she decided that it didn't matter what they were made of. The pants that she pulled on weren't quite denim, but they were skin tight and would have hugged every curve of her body if she'd had any. Jet black, and able to stretch just enough to be a perfect fit, she couldn't help but smile widely. She then quickly pulled on the beautiful boots and almost prayed that they would fit. The only thing left was a top of some kind that was also jet black. When she pulled it on, it turned out to be like the pants in that the torso was skin tight, but flared out just a little as it went past her waist. The hem went down just to the bottom of her buttocks, and though it had no sleeves, it was still beautiful.

When she turned around after being tapped on her leg a second time, Guan couldn't help but notice that the pup's teeth were bared in an expression of true pleasure and delight. The pup was looking down at the new coverings she had on, and Guan could see a vast improvement in the appearance of the pup. When not wearing something that was obviously too large for her, the pup could display a trim physique that while far too skinny at the moment would fill out with proper care and nourishment. She nodded her head in satisfaction.

"Shall we go show the others?" Guan asked casually.

Lilith nodded her head in enthusiasm. She was so thrilled over these beautiful clothes that were _hers_ and not something she'd pretty much stolen from her mother's closet, that for a time, she actually forgot to be apprehensive or afraid of anything. For the first time since her escape, Lilith was actually about something that didn't involve anything dangerous or life threatening. She bent down and gathered up the stuff, she'd taken from her mother, and followed Gwen back to the others.

Yeyinde looked over as the two emerged from the corridor, and the change in the ooman pup's attitude was obvious. There was an almost bounce to the pup's stride, and she was holding her old coverings away from her as if to avoid soiling what she was wearing now. She could swear that the pup looked as happy as an unblooded warrior with their first set of armor.

"Do you like it, Little One?" Than-guan-thwei asked with a smile.

All three of the healers nearly laughed when the ooman pup nodded her head, dropped her old clothing, and quickly spun around with a smile to show off the new clothes while smiling widely the entire time.

Guan stepped forward and retrieved the discarded coverings that were on the floor. "Do you have something I can put these in? The Little One hasn't adjusted to our world's air yet, so I will have to carry her at times."

"Of course you will have a bag! But there is one more item that goes with those coverings for the pup." Dachande replied as he pulled something out from beneath the counter.

"Ooman females seem to wear things like this. What these things are actually used for; I have no idea, but this is what was being worn in the recording I saw of an ooman female who was deemed very attractive by the number of male oomans around her." He said as he held out a belt composed of large silver disks about as wide as three of his fingers.

Guan looked at the strip of metal disks doubtfully before she turned and knelt down to hold it out to the little pup. "This is supposed to be worn with what you have on. Do you know what to do with it?"

Lilith looked at what Gwen was holding out to her and her eyes bugged! The belt looked like it just _had_ to be solid silver! She had never been given anything this expensive by her parents. Even the meager amount of jewelry that she'd had been given on her birthday and at Christmas had all been costume jewelry. She hesitantly held out her hands, and Gwen handed her the belt as if it were nothing out of the ordinary. Lilith's hands almost shook as she felt how heavy the belt was and realized that she was right. There was no way that this was some cheap knock off metal used in costume jewelry. Made of linked circles of solid silver, each disk was about three inches across. The belt was beautiful, and worth more than anything she'd ever owned. Too stunned for her hands to shake, Lilith wrapped the belt around her waist just above her hips and buckled it, to find that it was a perfect fit. She then looked back up at Gwen with large disbelieving eyes as she tried to understand why she would be given something this expensive. Her confusion only got worse when the huge Predator woman only nodded her head and turned back to the shop keeper as if this was something she did everyday.

Dachande tilted his head to the right as he studied the pup curiously. "That's exactly the way that was being worn in the recording as well. Why would someone wear a thing like that when there is no place to attach a weapon of any kind, I will never know."

As they approached the house where Gwen lived, Lilith was still so stunned by the new clothes and incredibly expensive belt that she never even thought about the fact that she was holding onto the Predator's hand.

As she neared her home, Guan was _very_ pleased by the pup's current behavior! She knew just by looking that the little pup was pretty well lost in a state of confusion. But that didn't pose any problems. She had noticed how the pup had not only avoided some of the taller plants that reached past the pup's ankles, but had also avoided as much of the dirt and dust as she could. At first, she had simply believed that the ooman didn't want to risk any encounters with any type of concealed predator, but then she realized that the ooman was actually trying to avoid soiling her new coverings. That alone told Guan just how pleased the pup was to receive them.

"You're back! How did things go?" Kwei asked as soon as they entered. "Where did you manage to find ooman coverings in her size _here_?" He added curiously after spotting the tiny pup who entered behind his lifemate.

"In some ways it was much worse than I had expected, but in other ways everything went well. It seems our Little One has been through far more than we imagined. I will tell you about that later, after I've had a couple of cups of C'ntlip. As for the coverings… well Than-guan-thwei knew of a cloth and clothing dealer, who made those for her. He had a recording of some ooman style coverings and made those to fit her measurements from the recording. He's going to obtain more material, and should have a few more sets of coverings ready in a couple of days." Guan answered as she sat down on a well stuffed but oversized version of a couch, and dropped the bag of the pup's old coverings on the floor beside her.

"I know Than-guan, but who is Than-guan-thwei?" Kwei asked as he sat down beside her.

"She is Than-guan's birth sister. She's the younger, but only by a short while. The only way one can tell them apart is that Than-guan always wears a bracelet on her right wrist, and there is a small scar on the inside of Thwei's left thigh. All three of the sisters are noted healers, and they have a great deal of equipment in the home they share. One good thing I've seen is that the Little One seems to be content with the new coverings, because she was being quite careful not to get them soiled during our return." Guan said as she began to relax.

"So the two of you got along well then? That's good…" Kwei began.

"Actually… I wouldn't say that we got along well at all! That little pup has been quite angry with me today." Guan interrupted with a rueful snort. "Haven't you Little One?" She added while speaking up and turning to face the ooman.

Lilith had climbed into a chair, pulled off her boots, and was quietly admiring them. She hadn't really been paying any attention to what was being said. She looked up as Gwen spoke to her and froze. The rather happy mood of the past couple hours vanished in an instant as she realized that not only could she not thank the Predator without talking, but that she also hadn't been told she could sit in the chair she was using. It took her a few seconds to figure out what had been said, and she felt her blood run cold as she wondered what Gwen was going to do to her to pay her back for everything.

Guan caught the scent of fear rising off the ooman pup and was immediately annoyed. She got up and walked over to the chair the pup was sitting in, and squatted down. "Look Little One. I know I've done some things that you certainly didn't like today, but have I done _anything_ at all to hurt you or cause you _any_physical pain?" She asked intently.

Lilith couldn't help breathing rather fast as she thought frantically about everything that had happened since she'd woke up in this house. It was with obvious reluctance that she shook her head. Then she recalled what _she_ had done, and lowered her head in both shame and fear.

"That's right. I haven't hurt you, and I'm not going to either! You are a part of this house now, and that means that we will _both_ need to learn more about each other! Today, you have shown me that you know _several_ methods of making your displeasure known, including one _particular_ method that I sincerely wish you would never use on me again!" Guan said sincerely before she took a deep breath while gathering her thoughts to figure out how to say what was on her mind.

"There are a few things about each other that we will simply have to deal with. You don't seem to like it when I purr. Purring is a very natural thing for all Yautja to do when they are faced with an angry female, or a pup that has been upset, frightened, or injured. That is something you will simply have to get used to." Guan said firmly, before she softened her tone considerably.

"I on the other hand, don't like it that you won't speak to us, or that the only time you've ever used your voice around any of us is when you are extremely upset. I know that something bothers you Little One, but I can't know what to do about it until you tell me what it is that causes you to scream while sleeping. That is another thing I don't like. I don't like being _forced_ to make up a name for you. It's true that you are little compared to me or any other adult Yautja and that you always will be, because our kind is naturally larger than yours. I know that you weren't given any choice to come here Little One. But I am hoping that you will choose to like it here." Guan said softly before she reached up to stroke the ooman's arm comfortingly.

Lilith couldn't believe what she was hearing. Not only was Gwen _not_ beating the senses out of her, or trying to hurt her bad enough that she wanted to die, but the Predator wasn't even scolding her, or yelling at her. Somehow, Lilith knew that the Predator truly meant every word she said. This was nothing like what she had become accustomed to, and even though she really wanted to believe that Gwen wouldn't make her hurt like her parents did, she knew that it would happen sooner or later. It was a fact that she couldn't ignore, because it loomed in her future like a black pall that clouded everything.

Guan pointed to a door that was currently closed. "There is the room where you slept earlier. That is your room now. Kwei and the others will signal before they enter if you are inside. There are still some play things in there, and they are yours if you like. I won't pretend to know what kinds of things an ooman like you might prefer, those are things I'll need to learn from you, and I'm sure there are things about us that you'll need to learn as well. I won't promise that such things will be easy, but we _will_ accomplish them. Do you understand what I'm telling you?"

Lilith wasn't entirely sure she _did_ understand everything, because to her, it almost sounded like Gwen wanted her to be like a part of her family. _'That's not possible… is it? No! There's no way she wants someone as worthless as I am! She just hasn't found out yet, but when she does… she'll start hating me just like my parents did. That's when she'll start hitting me and beating me, or she'll get one of the others to do it.'_

Guan easily caught the scent of the pup's fear almost as soon as the ooman looked down at the boots in her lap. She took her right hand off the pup's shoulder and placed it under the ooman's chin to make the pup look at her. "You don't need to be afraid Little One. I don't know the reason for your fear right now, but I can smell it quite clearly. Fear, stress, anger, even your sadness are all things that we Yautja can smell about you. If you ever feel afraid of one of us, for any reason, then you can simply go to your room and close the door. That room will be a place for you where no harm will come to you, no anger will be directed at you, and no voice will be raised against you. It is _your_ room now, and no one will bother you there. I will tell you when meals are ready to be eaten, and tell you of other things, but no one will force you to come out if you don't want to."

Lilith glanced over at the door before looking back at Gwen nervously. _'My old room was supposed to be my place too. But I wasn't safe there! My parents did whatever they wanted, and you will too. Why do you even want me here? I didn't ask to come here. I didn't even want to go to Antarctica! But they made me go. I didn't want to come here either, but Old Bruce over there made me come here. Why? So you can hurt me too? You promise that stuff now, but when you find out the truth, you hurt me even more than my parents did! They… they used to tell me that they loved me… but they lied. They_lied_! They never wanted a worthless mistake like me, and you won't either!'_

Tears of anger and sorrow filled her eyes and slid down Lilith's face as she thought about the situation while she stared at Gwen in total doubt. She didn't believe what the Predator was telling her for one single instant! She wouldn't. She _couldn't_! There was no way that any of that stuff could be true.

When she saw the fluid leaking from the pup's eyes Guan leaned in for a better look at them. She could easily smell the mix of intense anger and fear coming from the pup in front of her, but she had no idea why the pup would be feeling such things. Intending to sooth the highly stressed ooman, she placed her forehead against the pup's and purred softly, while gently stroking the back of the Little One's head.

Guan caught the sudden increase in the scent of the pup's fear a mere instant before she was being hit with a strength that _had_ to be born of desperation. In the time it took a heart to beat no more than twice she'd bit hit no less than six times. Then, even as she was pulling away from the source of the unexpected and painful assault, the pup was struggling almost frantically to get out of the chair. Allowing the pup to get away from her was more of an instinctive reaction than anything else, as Guan leaned back with a loud roar because of an intense pain from her bottom left mandible.

Lilith almost fell out of the chair as she tried to get away from the huge Predator who had gotten too close for comfort. She was in a total panic as she fled towards the one place that she'd been told she would be safe. She wasn't thinking about what she was doing, or where she was going. All she knew was that she had to get away. She reached the door to the room where she'd been earlier, but it was closed. Lilith turned and her eyes darted everywhere as she looked around to find some place to hide, some place where she wouldn't have to suffer through another beating that she just _knew_ was looming in the near future.

It seemed like an eternity before the door slid open behind her, and Lilith wasted no time as she dashed inside. She rushed forward and sat in a corner with her knees drawn up to her chest and breathing heavily. _'Why did I run like that? She wasn't hurting me, so what just happened? I don't think she was going to try to eat me. She was just trying to make me feel better… wasn't she?'_ She wondered as she tried to understand what was going on in her mind. A slight noise made her look up to see Gwen coming into the room. Lilith tried to shrink back into the corner even further, because she knew the Predator was mad. A strangled whimper welled in her throat because she just _knew_ that she was going to get that beating now.

Anger coursed through Guan's mind as she stared at the open door in confusion. The pain from her mandible was easily ignored, although it hurt terribly. She stood up and walked slowly into the room to sit down on the edge of the nest for pups. She looked at the ooman silently for a brief moment before Kwei entered the room to kneel beside her.

"She's dislocated your lower left mandible. Hold still while I set it back in place. This is going to hurt… a _lot_!" Kwei told his lifemate as he got his hands into position.

"The pain will pass once it's back in place. Do it." Guan slurred quickly.

Lilith watched in mounting fear as Old Bruce forced that weird looking flap with a tusk back into place, and Gwen roared in fresh pain. She saw Gwen sit there and take a few deep breaths while she got a grip on the pain she was feeling. Lilith knew exactly what that was like, and she also knew that it was never easy.

"There was no reason for such an attack Little One! You should not have done that…" Kwei began before he was suddenly cut off by a hand on his mouth.

"Silence! There are things you do not know. It's true that I didn't do anything that was obviously threatening to warrant such an attack, but I… I can understand_why_ she might have _felt_ threatened." Guan said heavily while still getting control of the pain in her jaw.

Kwei glared at his lifemate angrily even as she removed her hand from his mouth.

"She will _not_ be harmed or even threatened with punishment for this! She had a reason to react like that, and I should have realized this might happen." Guan told Kwei firmly.

Guan stayed in a crouch as she moved over to where the ooman pup was all but cowering in a corner. Sitting down, Guan moved slowly, and was being careful to be as non-threatening as possible when she pulled the tensed pup into her lap. "Relax Little One. I told you that you are safe here, and you always will be. I am not going to punish you for this, nor will I allow anyone else to do so." She said gently before looking up at Kwei.

"I won't say that she was beaten into submission, because I can see that this pup has never _submitted_ to anything! Instead, I will say that she was beaten and held under restraint until she could no longer resist. Than-guan found evidence that she was beaten so that she could be forced into breeding prematurely. Even after she was given healing formula by you and Setg'in, you _still_ saw some of that evidence in the form of her damaged ribs, and the bruising on her torso!" Guan said as she held the ooman pup gently without restraining her in any way.

"But… that would mean that it happened…" Kwei began in confusion.

"No more than three ooman days ago at the most. As bad as that is, she may have suffered even more when she was subjected to the whipping of her back." Guan said as she felt anger rising at the mere though of what had been done to the pup in her lap.

"The Dark Hunter was obviously elsewhere that day, because that was done in a single session. I am telling you this because I want it perfectly understood that_none_ of our sons are to learn the full extent of her suffering. I also want you to understand that _no one_ is to be allowed in this room except this pup, myself, or another female!" Guan said sternly.

"I can understand that the Little One will need her privacy but…" Kwei began slowly.

"No! I mean that no _males_ are to be allowed in this room for _any_ reason! I have told her that this room will be the place where she can come anytime she feels afraid, and that she will be safe here. From here on out, even I will ask for her permission to enter. The _only_ exception to that will be when I need to tend to her." Guan clarified.

"You make it sound as if she can even come in here to avoid punishment as well." Kwei returned.

"That's because she can. The scars upon her back were given at about the same time as someone began starving her, and she will learn that such things will _not_be tolerated here! While she is in this room, she will not be yelled at or disciplined in any way. After what she has been through, I want her to have a place where she can _know_ that she is safe from harm." Guan stated while still slowly stroking the arms of the ooman pup in her lap.

Lilith had listened to what was being said in a state of near panic. She hadn't meant to hit Gwen like that, and she wasn't really sure why she had, but now she was in Gwen's lap, and she didn't know of anyplace to run and hide. She heard Gwen tell Old Bruce about some things, but she was so certain that she was about to be beaten again that it never registered that she was the one being talked about. Then she heard Gwen tell Old Bruce that she couldn't even be punished while she was in here, and she tilted her head back to gape up at the Predator. She couldn't believe her ears! Not even when she'd thought that her parents had still loved her, would they have done such a thing!

Lilith turned in Gwen's lap to look at the woman. She winced when she saw the mandible that was still starting to swell. She started to reach up and touch it, but then realized that it would hurt if she did, and quickly pulled her hand back down. She then raised her right hand to wipe the tears from her eyes before looking up at the Predator again.

"I accept your apology, Little One. I'm not exactly sure what happened a moment ago to frighten you like, and I don't think you know either, so why don't we both just forget that it ever happened?" Guan offered in a soft purr.

Lilith just couldn't believe it. She knew that this was the second time that she'd hurt Gwen… but Gwen wasn't doing anything back except being _nice_ to her. Now, Gwen was even making that noise to make her feel better. It was all so strange. _'Why do I have to be so worthless? I'm so worthless that I can't even be nice to someone who deserves it! That must be why my parents hated me so much.'_ She thought sadly.

Lilith nodded her head, and Gwen started purring even louder. She felt Gwen start rubbing her arms again, and couldn't help the feelings of shame and guilt that racked her mind. She recalled the food that she'd been given, and then looked down at the new clothes that had been ready as soon as they had walked into the store. That was when she realized that she hadn't even needed to get her feet measured or try on several pairs of boots. They had fit perfectly on the first try!

'_Gwen hasn't really done anything mean to me at all! She gave me plenty to eat until I got so full that I couldn't eat anymore, then she got me some new clothes and a belt that's better than anything my parents ever gave me. Now… now she even gave me this room and told me that I can't even get yelled at while I'm in here! Why? Why would she do this?'_ Lilith wondered in confusion.

"Come Little One. Let's go to the main room where we have chairs to relax in, instead of sitting on the floor." Guan said as she stood up with the ooman in her arms.

Guan walked slowly as she moved into the main room. She made sure that if the pup didn't want to go that the Little One would have plenty of time to protest or make her wishes known. When she entered the main room, she held the ooman in her arms as she sat back down on the oversized couch that was little different from one that might be found in an ooman home. Guan continued to purr softly as she held the pup lightly. She wasn't trying or even intending to restrain the Little One in any way, because she had no intentions of frightening the pup, or giving her any cause for concern.

'_What has been done to her is beyond dishonorable! It was cowardly and despicable! I'm not sure this pup even knows how to believe what someone might tell her. Kwei was right about that, he_has_to be! There is no way that anyone could do such things to a mere pup with out lying in the process! She probably doesn't even know what honor is anymore. It won't be enough to simply tell her how she will be treated here; she will need to be shown. Our lives are filled with the honor given to us, and demonstrated by Paya, and Cetanu. Now, is when we must truly show that we have learned those lessons well, because this little pup will surely judge by what she sees. The question is, will she see honor… or more dishonor?'_ Guan wondered.

Lilith sat quietly in Gwen's lap for a while, as the Predator woman rubbed lightly at her arms and purred softly. Her mind was a crazy, mixed up jumble of confused thoughts as she sat there. She wished that she could somehow stop being worthless, and that she could somehow be good, because _maybe_, just maybe, if she wasn't worthless she might be able to find someone that would care about her. The problem was that she knew that in spite of all her fantasies, and wild daydreams, that it would never happen.


	9. MINE

As Lilith started looking around the room for the first time since she'd been brought back to Gwen's house, she saw her boots still in the other chair. She squirmed out of Gwen's lap and ran over to the chair. She grabbed her boots, and held them close as she went back over to the couch where Gwen and Old Bruce were sitting. Neither of them had said a word as she climbed back on the couch and started to get back in Gwen's lap.

Lilith froze and stared at the left side of Gwen's face because the bottom mandible on that side was already swollen. _'I did that! She wasn't even doing anything to me, and I did that for no reason.'_ She thought in shame as she looked down guiltily. She got back in to Gwen's lap as tears welled in her blue eyes again.

When the pup had moved to get down from her lap, Guan did nothing to stop her. She saw that the ooman was simply retrieving the boots that had been left in the chair before returning to reclaim her seat, and Guan couldn't resist smiling lightly. It was apparent that the pup was pleased with the coverings. Then she saw how the pup froze while staring at her face, before getting back in her lap. Guan began purring softly to show the pup that she didn't intend to hold any animosity over the attack. She would be the first to admit that she was still a bit angry about the attack, but then there was the pup's behavior to consider. The first time the pup had assaulted her had been deliberate, and the pup had pointedly ignored her afterwards. But this time, Guan could clearly see that the ooman was acting as if she had dishonored herself, and most likely felt that her actions had been wrong. The subdued behavior of the pup helped to cool Guan's anger as she resumed stroking the pup's arms.

"I'm not sure if you are hungry or not Little One, but it won't be long before I begin fixing the evening meal, so it won't be too much longer. Our sons should return by then, and we can all eat. After that, we'll all relax in front of a nice warm fire, and have a peaceful evening for a while before we sleep." Guan said soothingly as she observed the ooman sitting in her lap.

Kwei remained silent as he watched his lifemate and the ooman pup. He saw a great deal of difference in the way the ooman had acted aboard the ship, the way the pup had acted upon entering with Guan, and the way the pup was acting now. It was obvious to see that even without being corrected that the ooman regretted what she had done. Even without moving, the ooman was sitting with every muscle tensed as if just waiting for some type of retaliation that was fully expected. A retaliation that Kwei knew would never happen. He'd spent two hundred years with Guan as his lifemate, and in that time he'd come to know her very well. He knew that she had decided to accept the ooman pup as theirs, or she would never have referred to the pup as '_our_' Little One.

Kwei had hoped that his lifemate would accept the ooman pup, but now he realized that the ooman would need to choose to accept them as well. It was a strange predicament that he found himself in, and he suddenly realized that he'd once succeeded at something very similar once before. His mandibles flexed in a grin as he recalled how he'd pursued and eventually won the heart of the Honored Warrior Guan-kv'var-de so that she would become his lifemate. Winning… no…_earning_ the trust, respect and maybe one day even the love from this ooman pup was going to be a challenge much like that one had been… and Kwei-vor'mekta knew that he was up to that challenge!

Guan purred constantly as she watched the ooman pup in her lap. The pup sat quietly, and occasionally ran her fingers through the thick fur cuff of her new boots. She had no idea what was going through the pups mind, but she was sure that it had to do with the incident earlier, because the little ooman still hadn't returned to her lively, but willful self.

"Put your boots back on Little One. You can give me your companionship in the kitchen while I prepare the evening meal." Guan said softly.

Guan watched silently as the pup pulled on the boots and got down to stand on the floor, while never meeting her eyes. She placed her hand lightly on the pup's shoulder and guided the ooman into the kitchen, where she began removing things from the cold storage unit. Several large slabs of meat were set out, along with more than a dozen different kinds of fruit.

Slicing the meat was a matter of seconds, but dicing the fruit took a while longer. The little ooman stood beside her observing without a sound. Seeing that the counter was slightly higher than the pup's head, Guan lifted her up and sat the ooman pup on an unused section of the counter so she could see. She washed most of the fruit, but decided not to use the fresh naxa in the s'pke, because she intended that for something else.

Lilith couldn't take her eyes off the red thing that Gwen laid on the counter. Shaped sort of like a watermelon, it was about as big around as a cantaloupe. She had no idea what it was, but it sort of seemed familiar, and that was weird. _'Why would I think some kind of alien plant was something I recognize?'_ She wondered curiously.

Seeing that the pup was examining the naxa fruit close enough that she even smelled it, Guan decided to give her a piece of it to see if it was something the pup might like. The claw on her right thump easily penetrated the thick peel of the fruit to start the process of removing the rind.

As soon as Gwen started peeling the weird looking thing, Lilith knew the smell that hit her was _really_ familiar! She couldn't help it when she not only started salivating heavily, but growling in her stomach.

Guan nearly laughed at the pup's reaction to the scent of the naxa fruit, but then she recalled how the pup had been deliberately starved for a long period of time, and realized that it wasn't funny at all. She quickly carved several large pieces of the fruit, before she reached out to hand one of them to the pup.

"Don't give her that! She'll choke on raw fruit!" Hulij-bpe shouted from the entrance to the kitchen.

"No she won't! And you're not going to take it away from her either! Oomans have different types of teeth that allow them to eat both raw plant matter, and meats as well. She won't have any trouble eating that, but unlike us… she can't bite into a bone for the marrow." Guan told her son as she stepped in front of him to make sure that he didn't try to interfere.

"Go ahead and eat your naxa fruit Little One, no one will take it from you, but save some room in your stomach for the evening meal, because we'll be eating shortly." Guan said as she dropped a slice of the fruit in the pup's hand.

As soon as Lilith saw the slice of yellow fruit in her hand and smelled the scent that rose from it, she knew what it was. _'Where did they get a mango here? And where did they get one_this_big?'_ She wondered as she bit into the piece she had.

Rich, bursting with flavor, and dripping _everywhere_! This was the best piece of mango Lilith had ever tasted. She knew that mango had always been her favorite, but she'd never even heard of one like this before. Nothing at the stores she used to go to had ever been so big, or such a bright red, and certainly none of them were this sweet and juicy! This was pure bliss, and Lilith was leaning over to make sure that she didn't drip any of the sweet sticky juice on her clothes, because she knew that would make Gwen mad.

Guan smiled to herself as the ooman actually slowed down to enjoy the fruit, after nearly devouring the first slice whole. It was much different from the way the pup had eaten earlier, and she was glad to see the difference. "Why don't you go back into the main room and wait while I finish preparing the evening meal?" She asked as she lifted the pup, and placed her feet on the floor.

Lilith watched Gwen for a few minutes, before she turned to go into what she thought of as the living room. The second she walked in, she froze and he eyes shot wide as she stared at the… _thing_… that was in there! A mix of brown and tan, it was sort of like the color of dirt, but this thing was _huge_! Her mouth fell open as she stared in shock at the creature. It stood on four legs and was as big as a horse because the top of her head only reached its back. It had red eyes and lots of long sharp teeth, but that wasn't what had caught her immediate attention. What had her focus were nearly a dozen long sharp spikes sticking up out of the things back that made it as tall as Celtic who was standing near it.

"Come Little Sister! I want you to meet Bakuub! (Spear) She's the Yaut Hound we raised from a pup." Celtic called out to her proudly as she stood gaping at the huge beast.

Lilith couldn't take her eyes off the thing as she edged over to where Celtic was standing. Razor sharp and fang shaped teeth that were as long as her entire hand filled that mouth of the beast that Celtic wanted her to meet. _'What? Am I supposed to be dinner for that thing? As big as that sucker is, I might make a snack pack or something, but I'm not big enough to be a full lunch for it!'_ Lilith thought as she got next to the large Predator who had called her over.

Hulij-bpe squatted down as the ooman pup got next to him, and slapped his thigh a few times to lure the family pet a little closer. Although he was a little slow of mind at times, he wasn't a total idiot, and he planned to make sure that Bakuub wasn't going to try to hurt the newest member of his family. He pulled the ooman pup close to his side as Bakuub stalked up to him and began sniffing intently. He made sure that his hand was right next to the muzzle of the deadly Yaut Hound as the big female sniffed at the little ooman. Then, before he could react, the Yaut Hound was rubbing the side of its head against the pup's chest.

Lilith's eyes got even wider as the _thing_ started rubbing its head against her like some oversized house cat. She tentatively reached up and began lightly stroking that head of the thing, and was surprised when it started making a purring noise that was sort of like Gwen's but a lot deeper in pitch. The more she rubbed, the more the creature seemed to like it, and it would rub back against her in return. When she reached up and started scratching the beast near the base of one of those huge spikes, it started writhing, and wiggling in a way that told her she was making it feel good.

Suddenly Lilith's face was covered in warm, wet drool after the huge beast licked her in apparent thanks. Lilith was sputtering and wiping at the drool with a disgusted look on her face, while the creature purred happily. _'I know what I'm calling this thing now!'_ Lilith thought as she kept trying to get the drool off her face._'From now on, your name is Slobber! I would call you Spike, but I think that's a boy's name… even though it fits.'_

Not wanting to wipe the drool on her clothes, Lilith smirked as she started wiping her hands on the beast in front of her. _'Payback is fun!'_ Lilith thought with a smirk firmly on her face as she finished wiping the drool on the beast it came from.

Guan placed that last of the food on the table, and went to tell everyone so they could eat. "The food is ready. So come sit down and eat. Where's the pup? She needs to eat too."

"She went into the crèche. Father says we aren't allowed to go in there for any reason, but he won't say why." Hulij-bpe complained.

"He's telling you exactly as I told him. She's the only one allowed in there. If I want to enter, I will ask her permission first. I am not going to explain my reasons on this, but I think it's best for her." Guan said as she turned towards the door to the pup's room.

In a show of respect for the pup's privacy, Guan knocked on the door before it slid open automatically. Then she made a mental note to alter the settings so that it wouldn't open automatically for a male, and expose the female pup when she was changing or otherwise unclothed. Looking into the room, she saw the pup sitting in the center of the nest with Bakuub curled around her. The tiny pup was nearly lost next to the large bulk of the Yaut Hound. "Come Little One. It's time for our evening meal."

Lilith looked up when she heard the door slide open, and looked over to see Gwen standing at the door. She got up and let out a quick two tone whistle, and instantly, Slobber was by her side as she left the room.

Guan tilted her head to the side in curiosity when the pup made that strange noise. She was pleased that the pup seemed to be adjusting to her new home, and was glad that Bakuub also seemed to have taken a liking to the little ooman. That was good; because it meant that maybe she could gain enough of the ooman's trust for her to start speaking to them.

Lilith frowned when she was placed in another booster chair. She didn't like being treated like a baby, but she had to admit that her feet weren't even close to the floor, and the top of the table was still as high as the middle of her chest.

As she prepared a plate for the pup sitting to her left, Guan couldn't help but notice the way the pup was focusing on every bit of food that was taken by the others. She could tell by the scent that the pup was stressed over something, and the obvious hunger in the pup's face made it clear to Guan what that something was. She quickly finished fixing the plate and set it in front of the pup, who immediately began tearing into it.

Lilith shoved the food in her mouth as fast as she could chew and swallow. It wasn't that she was particularly hungry right then, but more because she had learned the hard way that something to eat wouldn't always be available. Focused on her food, she didn't realize what was happening until her plate was pulled away from her. She looked up with a mouth full of meat as Scar pointedly slid her plate next to his across the table from her.

"You need to slow down so you don't choke. This isn't a contest to see who can eat the fastest, or the most. So slow down and enjoy the food!" Setg'in instructed firmly as he held on to the ooman's plate.

Lilith leaned forward, grabbed hold of the plate, and tried to pull it back to her. It wasn't any use because Scar was a lot stronger that she was, and he had a better grip too. Letting go of the plate with her right hand, she snatched up her spoon and hurled it at Scar. When the Predator merely dodged the thrown spoon, Lilith sat back and looked around for something else to throw at him.

Guan was reaching out to return the pup's plate to her when the ooman pup suddenly leaned forward and her left hand flashed out in a strike while holding a long bladed dagger that she'd apparently grabbed from Hulij-bpe's belt. Setg'in quickly pulled his hand out of the way, but it was too late for him to retain possession of the pup's plate. What was really disturbing about what she saw was that not only had the pup acted with the speed of a trained warrior, but there was also the intense smell of anger rising from the little ooman. No more than an instant had passed and the pup was sitting there with her right hand shoving more food into her mouth while her left was cocked to stab again. Then, Hulij-bpe retrieved his dagger, and Setg'in moved as if to grab the pup's plate again.

"_That's enough_!" Guan bellowed as she grabbed Setg'in's hand before he could finish reaching across the table.

"She'll choke…" Setg'in started to protest.

"_Silence_!" Guan growled angrily.

Looking around the table, Guan saw that she had everyone's attention, and she turned her focus to her middle son sitting to the ooman's left. "Thank you for getting that away from her." She said with a nod, before looking at the pup. "You, eat slower. It will _not_ be taken away from you again!"

Guan then turned an angry glare at her youngest son. "Do not take her food from her again! She has been starved for a very long period of time, and her instincts, or need for survival will not change over the course of a single night. She will eventually begin to eat properly, but that will take time for her to learn."

She could see that her son wasn't happy about being scolded like that, but he also wasn't making any further protests, so Guan turned her attention back to the ooman pup who hadn't paused the process of shoving food in her mouth since regaining her plate.

"Listen to me Little One." Guan said as she waited until the ooman looked up at her. "I want you to eat slower. If you want more of something, then you can point to it. What Setg'in did was wrong, because we _never_ deny food to a pup. However, what _you_ did was also wrong! I know that Setg'in only took your plate away because he is concerned that you might choke from eating too fast, and he's right. _None_ of us wants that to happen. Now, what _you_ did wrong Little One, was to take and _use_ Hulij-bpe's weapon without first getting his permission! I don't care what happens, that is something you _never_ do! You may throw eating spoons, bowls, plates, or anything else that you feel you need to throw in order to deal with a hostile situation, but you do _not_ take a weapon that belongs to someone else and use it without their permission. Now… I want you to at least slow down enough so that you can taste the food." She finished wryly.

Lilith was so surprised at what she'd just been told that she actually stopped chewing while she glared at Gwen warily.

"Well… now that I have your full attention Little One, let me clarify something for you. We are not ooman like you; we are Yautja. I realize that there are many things we will need to learn about each other. Some of those things are going to be _extremely_ important, and I will try to teach them to you before you end up getting seriously hurt. One vital thing you must _always_ remember is that you are never, _never_ to touch the weapons or armor of a Yautja! I do not handle Kwei's weapons or armor without his permission. I do not even handle the weapons or armor that belong to my _sons_ without obtaining their _prior_ permission! I think that oomans like yourself, may feel that way about your under clothing, but I need to make this perfectly understandable to you. I can wear Setg'in's underclothing without asking him, as long as I can give some type of reason for needing to do so afterwards, and he would understand… but to use his knife? No! _That_ is something he would not be likely to forgive." Guan said in a firm tone as she tried to avoid lecturing the pup.

"Another thing you must learn, is that it doesn't matter how angry you get, or for what reason, there is to be absolutely _no_ fighting at any table for meals!" Guan said insistently.

Lilith cast a surreptitious glance at Celtic, and saw that he was cleaning the handle of the knife where she'd grabbed it, and she didn't think he looked too happy about it either. Then she shot a look at Scar who was acting as if he wasn't paying attention to the butt chewing she was getting. _'He started it, and now I'm getting chewed out for taking Celtic's knife.'_ Lilith thought sourly.

When the pup pointed angrily at Setg'in before gesturing at the plate in front of her, Guan knew exactly what the ooman meant, because it didn't take an Honored Ancient to figure that one out. "Yes he did take your plate, and I have already spoken to him about that, so he will _not_ do it again. You on the other hand, need to learn _not_ to fight at the table, and that you are _not_ to take another's weapons. Is that understood, Little One?"

Lilith stared at Gwen sourly for a moment before she realized something strange. _'She's not saying anything about me throwing something at Scar, she's just telling me not to do t at the table. That's like that other time when I racked him… no one got mad at me for doing that… Celtic even congratulated me for it… so did Old Bruce! So why was that different?'_ She wondered before it hit her. _'I wasn't at the table! Is she really telling me that I'm allowed to fight as long as I don't do it at the table? This doesn't make any sense!'_

Lilith nodded her head to show that she understood the rule about not fighting at the table. She went back to eating, while watching Scar carefully. She knew that she was eating faster than he wanted her to, but when he growled at her, Lilith moved quickly to shove a large piece of meat into her mouth, and grabbed her plate protectively. Suddenly, her attention was pulled to her left when she felt a large hand on her shoulder.

When the pup looked over at him, he leaned in closer before speaking quietly. "If you stop eating so fast, then he won't want to take your food away to make you slow down. I won't let anyone take it from you, so you don't have to eat that fast. Eat slowly; enjoy it. Food is more than just fuel for the muscles; even I know that! Hulij-bpe told her in a whisper. "And don't _ever_ take my knife again!" He finished in a low growl.

Lilith hunched protectively over her plate until the big Predator went back to eating his own food. She did slow down slightly, but apparently not enough to satisfy Scar, because he still kept watching her closely. Lilith was sure that he was just looking for another chance to snatch her food away from her.

After dinner everyone gathered in the living room, and Lilith watched as the sat around in front of a large fire while they polished armor and sharpened different blades and knives. She was petting Slobber, and looking at her new clothes when Gwen put one of those weird mask things in front of her.

"You will need to learn how to tend to your own armor before you receive it, so you can start by practicing on this. This is my old training mask. The last time it was cleaned and polished was many years ago when Setg'in was learning the process. Each of my three sons has learned how to polish and clean a set of awu'asa by practicing on my training armor. Now, it is your turn to learn. I doubt that you will ever earn the privilege of receiving actual hunting armor, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared in case you do." Guan said as she placed the cleaning materials next to the mask.

Lilith looked down at the stuff in front of her. She was a little leery of the mask because of the last time she'd had an experience with one, but then she figured that it should be fine since she wasn't going to put it on. She picked up some of the cleaning cloths and looked them over curiously. None of the different cloths had a smooth texture, but some were rougher than others. Knowing that she was supposed to polish the mask, she reached for the roughest cloth, when she remembered a show on Samurai swords that she'd seen on an educational channel. They had only used fine grain materials to polish and sharpen the blades of those swords. Sorting through the different cloths, Lilith found the smoothest one that was still rough, and started scrubbing.

From the way he was acting while watching the ooman pup, Guan could tell that Setg'in wanted to explain the proper way to clean armor. "Don't say anything to her! She must learn from experience, just as you and your brothers learned. It's how your father learned, and how I learned. Now she must learn the same way. If she does it wrong, then she will have to keep trying until she does it right. There are many methods used to polish armor, and she will have to find the method that works for her. The only wrong methods are those that fail to get the armor clean." She instructed calmly.

Setg'in huffed in annoyance, and noticed that Hulij-bpe simply glowered at the pup. He knew that his brother was still angry over having one of his weapons taken and used by the pup.

"I should make _her_ hone the tip of this blade back into a proper point, since _she's_ the one who dulled it by stabbing the table!" Hulij-bpe muttered angrily as he examined the knife the pup had used against his brother.

Hulij-bpe knew the instant it happened that the pup had only been trying to recover her food, and he couldn't help but recall the tense furtive glances that had been cast at him when she'd been fed on the ship. It didn't take a genius to know that the pup only wanted to eat what had been given to her. He did have to admit that he was surprised that a mere pup as small as she was, would be so quick to fight over something as simple as food. Then after thinking about it, he thought that if he'd been forced to go hungry for a long time, and someone had taken his food away, that he would have fought them as well. That was when he realized that the ooman pup hadn't even tried to make any further attacks after she had regained possession of her food. It was the kind of thing that made him wonder if he too might have taken the weapon of another if he had been in the pup's place.

Lilith stared at the mask she'd been working on with a critical eye. Both of her arms were tired and sore from scrubbing on the metal, but she saw the result in front of her. She had scrubbed and polished the dull grey surface until it had almost a mirror shine to it. As she held it up, she turned it in a couple of different directions to see if she had missed any spots. She had to admit that it looked a lot better than it had when she'd started. Then, something in the flat part of the lower face of the mask caught her eye, and she looked closer at it. It was a dull reflection that showed her… and five shapes behind her!

Dropping the mask Lilith scrambled away from it before she turned and saw that all five of the Predators were still staring at the mask, before they each looked over at her. She watched apprehensively as Gwen reached down and retrieved the discarded mask.

"It looks like new!" Setg'in said softly as he gazed at the mask in his mother's hands.

"Indeed it does, Setg'in. I haven't seen it look this good since I first used it in training!" Guan replied just as softly before looking over at the ooman who had shied away from them.

"_Very_ well done, Little One! Very well done! You seem to have mastered the art of polishing armor on your first attempt, you should be proud of yourself for that. It usually takes many moons of practice to get it right, but you've done it correctly the very first time." Guan said as she stepped over and knelt down in front of the ooman pup.

"Tomorrow night I will give you another piece to work on. If you do as well on that one as you did with this, then I will be certain that you know the task well enough to not need the training. I did not expect such great skill in something like this. Thank you." Guan said as she pulled the pup to her and embraced the little female.

"She spent as much time on that mask as the rest of us used to clean an entire set of awu'asa, but the result looks… looks _new_!" Al-Nihkou'te murmured in appreciation. "I certainly wouldn't mind if she got _my_ armor looking that good!"

"Elders first, Youngblood!" Kwei said with a light chuckle as he grabbed the shoulder of his eldest son and gave it a firm shake. "Elders first."


	10. Pup's Surgery part 1

Guan opened the door to the crèche that was now the ooman's room and tilted her head in confusion when she didn't see the little female. She looked around carefully and noted the details about the room. There was the sunken fur lined sleeping nest in the center, the pile of stuffed toys in the far corner, and then there were the other toys that were somewhat scattered around the floor. There wasn't an ooman pup in sight though.

"_Pauk_! She's run off again!" Setg'in exclaimed angrily after taking a glance into the room before he stormed off to look through the rest of the home.

Guan had turned her head to watch him go when she saw Bakuub slip past her into the room. She watched curiously as the large Yaut Hound walked straight over to the large pile of toys in the corner and began sniffing heavily. She wasn't sure what it was that had caught her attention about the pile, but she quickly donned her mask and cycled through the various visual modes until she saw what she _thought_ was a pair of eyes that looked out of place. Her suspicion was confirmed when the ooman pup moved out from under the pile of toys and pushed at Bakuub to keep the Yaut Hound from licking her face. _'That is an excellent way for a pup to hide! I'll have to remember that little stunt in the future.'_ She thought with a laugh.

"Come Little One, it's time for the morning meal." Guan said as she beckoned the pup over to her.

Lilith was still more than half asleep, and yawned groggily as she followed Gwen to the kitchen and stood there while the Predator began making breakfast.

Guan was busily heating the broth, mashed grains, and meats for the morning meal when she felt something against her leg. Looking down, she saw that the ooman was literally asleep on her feet! _'Good! She must feel some measure of safety here if she can sleep like that.'_ Guan thought happily. _'I wonder why she was hiding though. The real question is… what was she hiding from?'_

When she had finished preparing the meal, Guan guided the pup to the table, and noticed in surprise that the pup barely opened her eyes every few steps. She knew the room had a lower temperature after the chill of night had seeped through the walls, and that she only knew her way around because of many years of familiarity with her home. But this ooman pup had no such familiarity, so how was the little thing able to find her way around so well? That was when she recalled that ooman sight was drastically different from that of a Yautja, and figured that must have something to do with it. The pup didn't even open her eyes when she placed the Little One in the elevated chair, and smiled at just how similar the oomans actions were to those of a Yautja pup that had been awakened early.

"Here Little One… drink this. It will help you wake up." Guan said as she placed the pup's hands around a cup of hot meat broth.

"There she is! Where did you find her?" Setg'in exclaimed as he sat down at his accustomed place to his mother's right while she sat at one end of the table.

"In her room… where she was supposed to be. You simply didn't observe your surroundings carefully enough. That is the kind of mistake an unblooded warrior would make. You need to be more observant in the future. Had she been an enemy, she could easily have ambushed you." Guan chided lightly as she taught her son a valuable hunting lesson.

"But I looked! _You_ looked! The room was empty… we _both_ saw that!" Setg'in protested.

"The room merely _appeared_ to be empty! She was in there the entire time and sleeping quite soundly, as she was supposed to." Guan replied calmly.

Looking over at the ooman, Setg'in pulled back warily. He had grown very familiar with that displeased expression on the pup's face during the past two days. He noticed that his brother Hulij-bpe was wearing his knife in its normal place on his right side, which was well within the ooman's reach. He knew very well how disobedient and stubbornly willful the pup could be, and made sure to stay out of the pup's reach while she was in such a foul mood.

"Little One isn't awake yet is she?" Kwei asked with a chuckle as he sat down at the far end of the table.

"I don't think she is Elder. I think she's gone _completely_ back to sleep!" Hulij-bpe said as he watched the pup curiously.

"She must know how to eat in her sleep then, because she's drinking that broth just fine from what I can see." Nihkou'te snickered.

Lilith lowered the cup of hot broth from her mouth and yawned widely as she opened her eyes to see what she was drinking. It was sort of like beef broth, but it tasted almost like a mix of beef and chicken. She didn't know what it was, but it still tasted pretty good. Still partly asleep, she ate in a near zombie like state, until her sleep fogged mind registered that she was at a table with others who could easily take the food away from her. Instantly, her mind surged into full alertness, and she began eating at a more rapid pace while watching the Predators carefully.

"Easy Little One! You weren't eating like that a moment ago, and no one was bothering you, so why do you feel the need to eat so fast now?" Hulij-bpe asked as he put his spoon on the table and looked down at the ooman pup.

Lilith focused a bleary eyed glare at Celtic and stuck her tongue out at him. She wasn't quite awake yet, and she didn't feel like being messed with until she was.

Hulij-bpe's mandibles twitched in annoyance at the face being made at him. Then he got the idea of returning the gesture. _'Let's see how_she_likes those faces being made at her! If she can do it to me, then I can do it back!'_ He thought irritably.

Lilith looked up to her left when Celtic grunted at her and nearly choked at what she saw. All four of those tusk things were sticking out in every which direction, his mouth was open and his long slightly forked tongue was sticking straight out at her!

Guan looked at the pup in concern as she started making strange, almost choked noises while setting her cup on the table. Suddenly the ooman pup was laughing loudly while point straight up at Hulij-bpe. Guan glanced at her son, and couldn't stop her own snort of laughter at the ridiculous expression on her son's face.

"Give it up, Brother. She is _much_ better at that than you are!" Setg'in smirked.

"Well what else am I supposed to do?" Hulij-bpe demanded sullenly.

"Try something she can't." Setg'in suggested with a smug set to his mandibles.

Hulij-bpe's mandibles twitched as he thought about how to react to the ooman who was now laughing at him. He knew that he didn't have the same kind of mouth as the pup, and that was the problem. Then he got an idea.

Lilith was still snickering when she looked up at Celtic who had tapped her on the shoulder. Her eyes just about bilged out of her head, and she stopped laughing when she saw those weird looking dreadlocks start sticking out to the sides and all four of those tusk things stuck out at the same time. Then Celtic opened his mouth and roared about as loud as she thought a lion would be. Lilith clapped her hands over her ears to help block out the _really_ loud noise, and as soon as it stopped, she glared up at the huge Predator and gave him a long and loud raspberry! She kept it up for as long as she could until she ran out of breath. Then acting as if nothing had happened, Lilith calmly picked up her cup and started drinking the broth.

"I don't think she was impressed!" Nihkou'te said as he started laughing.

Hulij-bpe huffed angrily. _'How am I supposed to respond to this pup, when she isn't intimidated by such a threatening display? Wait! If she wants to make weird faces, then I can make weird faces at her!'_ Hulij-bpe thought with a grin. Then he opened his mouth, tucked all four of his mandibles inside, and stuck his tongue out as far as it would go. Then he reached out and tapped the pup's shoulder again.

Lilith glanced up at Celtic skeptically. She was sure that he was going to make another one of those loud roars again, but she was _not_ ready to see the look on his face. _'That's his… tongue! It's just… out there! How can it be that long? And how does he keep from biting it or cutting it on those teeth?'_ Lilith wondered as she gaped at the Predator sitting beside her.

"Stop it, _both_ of you! I will _not_ have disgusting faces or _noises_ made at the table while I'm trying to eat! If the two of you are going to do that, then you can both go outside so I don't have to see or hear it! Is that understood?" Guan demanded firmly with her dreadlocks now sticking out from the roots.

"Yes, Mother." Hulij-bpe said quietly as he lowered his head.

Lilith looked over at Guan and saw the dreadlocks sticking out more than they usually did. _'So that must be what they look like when they really get mad.'_ A quick glance at Celtic showed her that he still had his head bowed a little, and that made her realize that Gwen was serious about this. Suddenly, she realized that she'd been starting to have some fun like she'd never been stuck down in the basement, and she knew that this wasn't going to work out. There was no way that she could let herself start liking these Predators because then she would only feel worse when they started hating her. Then, not wanting a beating, Lilith lowered her head nervously and nodded.

The scent of fear that began rising from the ooman pup had everyone else at the table looking at her. Three of the males were looking in confusion, while Setg'in began appraising the ooman pup in a shrewd manner. He wasn't certain just what it was, but something had clicked in his mind that told him the ooman was for some reason terrified of someone in a position of actual authority.

When she caught the smell of fear from the pup, Guan knew that she'd made herself perfectly understood. She was about to let the matter rest, when she noticed a subtle move on her right. A slight signal from her youngest son made her look at the pup more closely. Then, she was reviewing everything that had occurred between her and the pup. It was true that there were several times that the ooman had been not simply stubborn, but once even violent in her defiance of instructions. Then there was this particular instance. She knew that she had directed a somewhat threatening display towards the pup, but then so had Hulij-bpe. The only difference that she could see was that this time there was someone else also responding to the display of anger.

"Eat your food Little One." Guan instructed in a much milder tone.

Guan saw the ooman pup watching her while cautiously retrieving a small piece of meat from her plate. The fearful and apprehensive behavior from the pup wasn't quite timid, but she knew that the response was caused by something in the pup's past. Even though she knew that there was no way that it could have been remotely enjoyed by the pup, she still couldn't help but wonder what the ooman's past held.

Setg'in surreptitiously studied the ooman female while she ate. He knew from first hand experience that she wasn't stupid, and she _certainly_ wasn't a coward either. He had seen that she would face certain death without _any_ hesitation or fear, but then, when possible punishment was at hand, the pup became almost terrified.

'_No daddy__please! Please stop! I'll do anything! I'll leave and never come back…__anything… please! Just… just please don't hit me anymore,__please!'_Those words that had been frantically screamed by the ooman pup while she was still asleep suddenly reverberated in his mind. It took every last bit of effort the Young Warrior had not to gape at the pup as he made that one horrifying realization. He hadn't thought about those words since he'd read that translation, but now they held an entirely new meaning to him. Suddenly, with a clarity that was startling in its intensity, Setg'in had a_very_ good idea of who it was that had made this pup so fearful of adults or anyone else in a position of authority.

Setg'in didn't want to believe what he now suspected was true. The very idea that someone could do such things to their _own_ pup was impossible for him to believe. He knew the little female had been subjected to truly vile treatment from what _had_ to have been Bad Bloods, but now, he could only pray that such things had not been done by the pup's own sire.

Setg'in remained quiet while his two brothers made their hunting plans for the day. He had something else that he planned to do instead. The pup's past presented a mystery to him, and one that he wanted to solve. The only way that he could solve the mystery was by being with the ooman pup so he could observe her. It was true that the pup had shown some mild disrespect to him, but when he really thought about it, the strange and even comical faces hadn't actually been all that disrespectful. It was more that the pup was… well… acting like a pup! What bothered him about the whole thing was how the pup had been so quick to show such disrespect to an unknown adult. The more he thought about it, the more he had to ask himself… why? Then… he realized the answer! The horrendous treatment the pup had endured _must_ have been delivered by adults! If that was true, then the little pup sitting across the table from him might believe that _all_ adults would behave so dishonorably! In order to show her the error of such ideas, Setg'in knew that she would need to be _shown_ that such things were wrong, and he knew that he was just the Warrior who could do it!

Guan held the ooman pup so that the Little One was resting while propped on her hip. Bracing the ooman with her left hand, she maintained a strong steady pace as she made her way to Paya's Medical Center for Healing. She knew that she was very fortunate indeed to be friends with three of the top four best healers of the most renowned healing center on the planet. Add in the fact that all three had met the little ooman, and that all three of them had agreed to help with treatment for the ooman pup, and it added up to a very good outlook for the ooman pup's future.

Guan just had to give the ooman credit for trying; after all, the pup had succeeded in walking almost half of the distance to the Medical Center before needing to be carried. She was no longer trying to use such treatment as a means of forcing the pup to speak, because as humiliating as it was, the little pup just didn't have the endurance to avoid being carried. Guan knew that if she were somehow placed in a similar situation, that she would fight tusk, and claw to avoid being carried around like a suckling. The ooman in her grasp couldn't do that simply because she didn't have the strength. She knew that being forced to make such an admission had been seriously damaging to the Little One's pride, and that was something she didn't want.

A glance down at the pup cradled against her left side showed that the little female who was just under half her height was looking around with curious intent. Guan also saw Setg'in following them while watching the pup curiously. She fully approved of his stated reason for remaining with the pup today, since he'd said that he wanted to remove the animosity between them, and try to gain the pup's friendship. She only hoped that he would be able to succeed.

As she looked around, Lilith could see a lot of the pyramid looking buildings scattered everywhere. But there was one in the distance that was positively _huge_! All of the buildings she'd seen so far had two and three floors, but that one must have close to ten or more. She couldn't really tell how far away it was, but from where she was sitting, it looked even bigger than the ones in the pictures of the Great Pyramids.

As Gwen kept walking, Lilith soon saw that they were heading straight for the huge pyramid. There were quite a few Predators walking in and out of the huge building, and several of them stopped and stared at her. She looked back at them curiously, and saw several of what she thought were dirty looks, but she couldn't be sure. Lilith started to give them her favorite single finger salute, but before she could, she was frozen solid by a deep menacing growl coming from Gwen.

Guan saw the angry, threatening expressions that were directed at the ooman pup she was holding on her side. She came to a halt and angled her body so that she would catch the attention of those who had been giving the pup threatening looks. What those Hunters saw when they looked her in the face were flared dreadlocks, narrowed eyes, and spread mandibles that bared her teeth. The distinctive growl that couldn't be matched by any male rumbled in her chest, and grew so strong and powerful that several of the males and even two females took a step back even though none of them were very close.

Setg'in froze in mid step when he heard his mother emitting the one sound that almost always struck fear into the heart of _every_ Yautja who heard it. It was the_very_ distinctive growl of a female preparing to violently defend a pup! Although he had never witnessed such a thing, he had _heard_ about it many times. At more than a head taller than a male in height, over two hundred ooman pounds heavier, and nearly _twice_ the strength of a male, a Yautja female defending a pup was _well_known to be the single most dangerous thing ever seen outside of a hive! It was a well established fact that if a female thought her pup was in danger, she would become so enraged that her already great strength and speed would easily double.

Setg'in knew the old story of a Bad Blood who had entered a home intending to kill all of those inside. Things had apparently gone well for the Bad Blood until the lone pup had screamed in fear. The pup's mother, and barely Blooded older sister had been so deep into the rage that they had even mutilated one of the heavily armored Arbitrators who had foolishly tried to calm the two. In the end, it had supposedly taken more than four moons to completely remove the remains of the Bad Blood. The whispered tales were so gruesome, that even battle hardened Elders shuddered at the thought of inadvertently provoking the dangerous response known only as 'Bearer's Rage'.

Not wanting to be a potential target for his mothers anger, Setg'in took a few cautious steps back to show that he was _not_ a threat to the little ooman. He was taking his fourth step backwards when his mother stopped her terrifying growl. Looking around, he saw that everyone had suddenly found another place to be, and had left in a hurry. He really couldn't blame them, because if he hadn't been as close as he was, he knew that he would run and prayed that he didn't become the focus for such legendary wrath.

Being as close as she was, Lilith knew that Gwen was mad, but she wasn't exactly sure why. Then, all of the Predators who'd been staring at her were leaving, and _fast_! She thought that it was probably because of the way Gwen was growling. She wanted to leave too, but Gwen was the one holding her, and she already knew that Gwen was a lot stronger than she was. Then, when most of the Predators had left, Gwen started walking and headed straight into the huge pyramid building.

Guan walked though the medical center at a determined pace. She kept her dreadlocks flared and her eyes narrowed in silent warning to those she encountered as she walked to her destination. She was still highly irritated when she finally entered the collection of rooms that her friend Than-guan used for a refreshment lounge, office, laboratory, and operating room.

"Than! Are you in here?" Guan demanded in a near bellow after the door to the lounge slid closed behind her son who had followed quietly.

Than-guan came out of her office hurriedly to see what the yelling was about, and stopped when she spotted her friend in an obvious state of anger. "What's wrong? Has something happened?"

"Not unless you count the fact the several Yautja near the entrance to this center were appraising Little One's th'syra (skull) for their collection!" Guan retorted angrily.

Than-guan stopped in her tracks as she looked at the small ooman female still straddling her friend's hip. She studied the pup speculatively for a moment while her mind raced in an effort to come up with an idea to prevent that from happening again.

"I know that she can't be marked without passing a Chiva, but what if she wears the symbol of our family line as some sort of covering or something? It's not a skull, so it wouldn't be like a trophy, but it would still mark her as belonging to our family… wouldn't it?" Setg'in asked curiously.

Both females quickly turned to fix the Youngblood with a hard look. Guan-kv'var-de wasn't quite certain that she'd heard her son correctly. She was about to ask him to explain when Than-guan spoke up.

"I can't think of any reason why that wouldn't work. As long as it's definitely not a Blooding mark, and simply something to identify which family she belongs to, then no one could form any compliant with merit. That's an excellent idea Setg'in." Than-guan approved.

Guan turned her head to give a speculative look at the ooman she was holding at her side. _'Setg'in's right. That should work perfectly.'_

"Than's right, Setg'in. It is a good idea. I want you to think of a way for her to wear our symbol so that it will be easily seen, and quickly recognized by others. For now though, she's going to be in another room to receive some medical treatment, which will most likely take a while. Do you plan to wait for us?" Guan said as she looked over at her son.

"The wait should give me plenty of time to think up something the pup might at least tolerate."

Lilith hadn't paid any real attention to the conversation that was going on, because she was looking at everything around her._'Haven't they ever heard of paint?'_ She wondered as she kept seeing the same drab colors everywhere. All the cloth on the furniture was the same dull gray, and every wall she had seen was the same dark tan color. It was weird, because there were no paintings, pictures, or posters anywhere. The only colors that she saw besides the tan stone and grey cloth were the different colors of the Predators skin, or the plants and sky. It was something that bugged her more than a little, and she had no idea why all the colors were the same.

When Gwen started following Thing-One, while Scar sat down in a big stuffed chair, Lilith realized that she had missed whatever had been said between them. Then Gwen was sitting her down on a large metal bed in a strange room. Looking around, she was reminded of some of the TV shows she'd watched before getting locked away in the basement. There were a lot of different things in this room, and some of it looked like it belonged on the Enterprise-D from Star Trek, and other stuff looked like it had been snatched right out of Frankenstein's lab. Then, the door slid back open and Thingy, walked in with Thing-Two right behind her.

Thingy walked straight up to where Lilith was sitting and grabbed her left shoulder and gently gave it a light shake, before nodding her head with a soft purr. Lilith wasn't too happy to hear that sound, and just as she started to do something to interrupt Thingy, she remembered what Gwen had told her about that weird purring. She wasn't pleased with hearing that sound, because she knew that it would make her feel better whether she wanted to or not. The other thing she remembered about it was that it was something all of these Predators would do, and that she was supposed to put up with it.

With a silent huff of irritation, Lilith crossed her arms over her chest and stubbornly tried to be angry about everything. In less than a few minutes, she had lost her frown because it was _really_ hard to stay angry about something with that sound being made right beside her. Then her attention was drawn to Gwen as the Predator woman spoke to her.

"I need you to remove your clothing Little One. Than-guan and her sisters are going to be treating your arms and legs today. They won't be able to work while you wear that clothing, and they don't want to have to cut through it either, so you need to remove it." Guan said lightly.

Yeyinde was standing right next to the ooman pup, and she easily detected the scents of intense stress and even some fear as the small female began to comply with the request. She intensified the strength of her purr in an effort to calm the pup, and while it did seem to help some, it wasn't much.

When Lilith was finally undressed and sitting naked on the big metal bed, she was at least grateful that she wasn't cold from the bed or the room. Then, Thing-One handed her a weird looking bowl style cup that was full of some pink stuff, and she was told to drink it. She eyed the cup warily, and shot a doubt filled look at Thing-One before she took a small hesitant sip of the stuff.

Lilith licked her lips and smacked a couple of times after that first sip. The stuff was tart and sweet at the same time. It was sort of like pink lemonade, but didn't quite taste the same, even though it was still pretty good.

Four sets of mandibles flared while the jaws behind those same mandibles dropped open in complete surprise. The state of shock that the Yautja females were in, only got worse when the ooman pup held out the cup and apparently wanted _more_ of the draught that she'd just been given.

"How the pauk can she like that? _No_ one likes that stuff!" Than-guan-thwei said in surprise.

"I know! Everyone is disgusted at how that tastes, so why does she like it?" Yeyinde asked disgustedly.

"I don't know… but I _think_ she seems to want some more." Guan said as she looked at the pup curiously. "Would you like some water… or do you want more of that?" She asked pointing at the cup.

Lilith pointed at the cup enthusiastically and smiled hopefully. It certainly wasn't pink lemonade, but it did taste pretty close, and it was actually very good. She really wanted some more of whatever that stuff was.

Than-guan took the cup from the pup and after looking at her sister Yeyinde for confirmation, filled it only part way with a little more of the draught, she knew that it would make the little female sleep through the next several hours, but she was _not_ going to risk any type of overdose with the pup.

Lilith gulped the contents of the second cup down as soon as it was handed to her. It was the first time since she'd been locked in the basement that she'd had anything except water, and she loved it. She looked up at Gwen and held out the cup again, hoping for a little more, but the Predator only shook her head and set the cup on a table against the wall. Lilith frowned slightly, because she did want more of that stuff, but then she realized that she felt a little strange. Her arms felt very heavy, and she was quickly getting light headed. That was when she knew that there was something in that stuff that had made her sleepy. She wondered what these Predators were going to do to her while she wasn't able to do anything to stop them.

Yeyinde reached out and braced the now wobbly pup, and gently eased her down in to a lying position on the table. She knew that the little ooman was still awake, but almost unable to move, and that apparently frightened the ooman, because she could smell the fear rising from the pup.

"Just relax Little One. You are safe, and nothing will harm you here. Neither I, nor any of us will allow anything to hurt you. That was a sleeping draught, and it will let you sleep peacefully now. I will still be here when you wake up, so nothing will happen to you." Yeyinde said as she began purring softly but powerfully at the same time.

No matter how hard she fought it, Lilith could not keep her eyes open. Then, even after her eyes were closed, she fought to stay awake and alert, but it was no use. What ever had been in that drink was just too strong for her to resist, and in moments, she was lulled into a sound sleep by a combination of the draught, and Thingy's soft purring.


	11. Pup's Surgery part 2

Lilith felt like she was floating on a soft cloud of pillows. It was an incredible feeling. She was warm, and for once, she felt no pain at all. There was a soft soothing noise that seemed like it was coming from all around her. When she felt someone's hand on the side of her face, it wasn't a sharp painful slap like she would have expected, but instead, a soft gentle caress of the kind that she had once gotten from her mother a long, long time ago.

"Please… I swear I'll be good…" Lilith begged, not ever wanting to be hurt again.

"_What is your name?"_ A far off voice asked her softly.

"Lilith! I'm Lilith… don't you remember? Please… I'll be good… I _swear_ I will!" She answered in a pleading whimper of distress.

"_Then why won't you speak to us?"_

Lilith's eyes snapped open at that question because even as strange as she felt, she somehow knew that it wasn't her mother's voice she was hearing, and she remembered that she wasn't supposed to speak. A strange hazy tan colored face was hovering over her, and she couldn't focus her eyes well enough to make out any details, but from the color, she knew that it was Thingy, and _not_ her mother! Instantly she recalled where she was, and tried to get some distance from the Predator.

As soon as the pup was even partially awake, she tried to get away, and Yeyinde carefully took hold of arms that were moving sluggishly. "Easy Lilith! Easy. The sleeping draught will wear off soon, but for now, your body will still feel heavy, and clumsy. You may even feel dizzy at times." She said as she lifted the naked pup into her arms and stepped over to a nearby work table.

Yeyinde held the trembling pup in her right arm and she could detect a rising scent of both anger and fear coming off the little female. She reached out with her left hand, hit a button on the wall, and grabbed a pot of heated broth to pour some into a cup before holding it for the pup. "Here, I suggest that you drink some of this. It will help you wake up, and also help you rid your body of the sleeping draught's effects."

Lilith was pissed; even though she was still fairly groggy. If she had known that the stuff she'd liked so much had been a knock out drug, she wouldn't have touched it. So now, when she was being offered another cup of stuff to drink she turned her head away angrily.

When the pup turned her head away out of anger, before shaking it, Yeyinde was almost sure that it was because the pup didn't trust her not to have put some kind of sleeping formula in the broth. She got the pup's attention, and then slowly tipped the cup just enough to obviously pour some of the broth into her own mouth. Spreading her mandibles, she opened her mouth to show the pup that she had indeed swallowed the broth. "Now will you drink it?"

Lilith nodded her head, and reached up for the cup, that was when she saw her right arm. Something about her arm didn't look right. It didn't look like hers at all. Her bleary eyes stared at her arm as she tried to figure out what was different about it.

Yeyinde saw that the pup was focusing on her arm instead of the cup, and figured that the pup had noticed the difference.

In spite of staring intently at her arm, Lilith's mind was still too foggy to able to figure out what was different about it. She shook her head somewhat slowly in a useless effort to think clearly, before clumsy hands grasped the cup.

With the ooman pup resting against her chest, Yeyinde was able to assist with the cup so that the heated broth wasn't spilled everywhere. She was glad that she'd just held on instead of allowing the pup to try on her own, because the poor thing was still very uncoordinated. She set the cup on the table and refilled it before moving to a chair to sit down with the ooman in her lap.

"Just relax Little One… Lilith. You and I will wait here until the draught wears off, then you can get dressed, and rejoin your family." Yeyinde said in a soothing purr while holding onto the cup to ensure there were no spills.

After a few sips of the warm broth, Lilith was feeling a little more alert, so she dropped her right hand to her lap and let out a large yawn. Her right arm made a slight sound as it landed heavily in her lap, and almost instantly, she was looking down to see how badly she was bleeding. It was a habit that came from countless nights of agony, and pain, but suddenly she was staring stupidly at a body that she just _knew_ could not be hers!

Lilith's mouth fell open as she gaped at the creamy smooth and flawless skin of her thighs that were not only free of any burns, but didn't even have a single scar either! Then she noticed her arm that was still resting in her lap, and her eyes widened in stark disbelief.

'_There's no scars! …What happened to my scars? …Their all gone! … There's no burns on my legs or cuts on my arms anymore!'_ Lilith thought in bewildered confusion.

The ooman in her lap was examining her arms and legs so intently, that Yeyinde was certain that the pup never noticed the door slide open. Her two sisters entered quickly with Guan in tow. It was immediately obvious that all three were excited. All three of them stood watching as the ooman pup silently examined the fresh scar free skin that now graced the front of her body.

Guan knelt in front of the little ooman and waited patiently for the pup to look at her. When she did, Guan took hold of the pup's right arm and held it where the flawless skin could be clearly seen by both of them.

"That part of your life is now gone, Little One. I will tell you now, that you will _never_ have to endure such dishonor again." Guan told her in a soft but sincere tone.

"Lill-ith."

"What?" Guan asked confused.

"As she was waking up she spoke to me. I asked her name and she said that it was Lilith." Yeyinde explained quickly. "But now it seems like she doesn't want to speak anymore. It's like she refuses to speak when she's coherent. I just don't understand it." She continued sadly.

"Why won't you speak to us, Lill-ith? It should be obvious by now that we have no intention of hurting you. Have we done something to offend so much that you don't think we are worthy of being spoken too?" Than-guan-thwei asked suddenly.

Lilith shook her head and looked down at her lap sadly while tears of sorrow filled her eyes. These Predators were being so nice to her. They were treating her even better than she could remember her parents ever doing. That was what was making this hurt so much. She knew that in spite of everything, she was still starting to really like these Predators, and that she was really going to hate herself when they stopped treating her so nice and made her suffer because of how worthless she was. She didn't want that to happen. _God_ how she didn't want that to happen… but she knew that it would. She knew that these Predators would eventually find out how worthless she was. Then they would hate her even more than her parents had… and they would make her suffer even more.

As she watched the ooman's action, and saw the tears that began falling from the pup's eyes, Guan realized that there was something wrong with the whole situation. It was clear that the ooman had the _ability_ to speak, and she somehow knew that the pup even _wanted_ to speak, but at the same time, there was also something that was preventing that from happening. She didn't know what that something was, but it was truly frustrating all the same.

Guan took her hand from the pup's arm and ran it gently down the side of the ooman's face in a soft caress. "You don't have to speak if you don't want to, Lilith. I really hope that you'll eventually choose to do so. Because I am _very_glad to finally learn your name, and when the time comes that you do choose to speak… I would be honored to hear your voice."

Everything Gwen said only made Lilith feel worse than she already did. _'Why do they have to do things that make me like them? Why do they have to act like they actually care about me? Why do they have to make me care about them? Why can't I just be left alone by everyone? I wish there was some way that I could stop being so worthless, so they won't start hating me.'_ Lilith thought as fresh tears welled in her blue eyes.

"It looks as if the procedure worked wonderfully. I can't see a single scar on her arms." Guan said as she looked up at Than-guan.

"The surface treatment was a fairly simple process, even though it was an involved one. That was mostly just a matter of using cloned skin tissue from her own body, to replace what was damaged. The internal damage in her lower arms near the wrist was much more difficult. Whatever blade caused that damage had actually hit the bone in a few places, so there was a lot of tendon and muscle damage that was never correctly treated. She would never have regained proper strength in her hands, had we not made the repairs." Than-guan replied as she looked down at the ooman pup's forearms. "The veins beneath the skin were also damaged as well. Now she'll be able to use her hands correctly without needing to compensate for any weakness in her forearms, wrists, or fingers."

"That's a big relief." Guan said with a glance over her shoulder. "I would hate to see her crippled later in life because of dishonor."

"Exactly! That's why we spent the extra effort to repair that damage now, before age begins to be a factor. Your new pup will have a long life ahead of her, and I'm looking forward to spending some more time with her." Than-guan answered.

"Just relax, Lilith. There's no reason for you to be concerned, or worried anymore. You're in good _honorable_ hands now. Out of all the Yautja in existence, my sisters are the two _best_ healers that can be found anywhere! Guan has made certain that you will be properly cared for now, and my sisters will help make sure of that." Yeyinde said softly without pausing her steady purring.

"What's wrong, Little One? Did you want to keep those scars?" Guan asked cautiously thinking that having removed the scars might have offended the pup in some way.

Lilith shook her head sadly. There was no way that she was going to tell these Predators the truth. They were too nice to her, and even though she didn't want to, she knew that she liked them, because she'd actually had some fun while being around them. She knew that it would all come to an end eventually, and that they'd start hating her and that was why she was crying, because she didn't want that to happen.

"I think the sleeping draught might still be having an effect on her. Let's get her dressed and get her into the lounge where we can all rest more comfortably, and she can have a chance to get the rest of the draught out of her system." Than-guan-thwei suggested.

"Good idea. I don't need her to suffer a fall or some other kind of injury because she tries to walk while that draught is still in her system." Guan replied quickly.

Lilith tried to help as the Predators put her clothes on her, but every time she tried to move, her arms and legs wouldn't quite do what she wanted them to. It was a really weird feeling, and her body was really sluggish; even worse than when she was just waking up. Although she could move with no problem, her arms, and legs just wouldn't move how, or where she wanted them to. Tears of humiliation and anger rolled down her face while Thing-One and Gwen slid her underwear on, and got her dressed. She knew they had to do it for her, because whatever they had put in that drink was really messing up her coordination.

Humiliation quickly turned to outright anger as Lilith kept trying in vain to put her arms in the holes of her shirt, or get her legs in the pants. No matter how careful she was, or how hard she tried, she just couldn't move in the right directions. Once the Predator women had gotten her underwear, breast halter, and shirt on, she waved her left hand in front of her face, and saw a _very_ strange trail… as if her arm was somehow stretched much wider than it was supposed to be. She knew that she was moving her hand slowly, but it looked like she was moving her whole arm just as fast as she could.

Yeyinde was still holding the ooman pup while her two sisters helped Guan get the pup's coverings on. She knew that the pup was trying to help with the process, but the result almost made it seem as if the pup didn't want to be dressed at all. Then she saw the pup trying to examine her arm and understood what the pup was experiencing.

"Relax, Little One. What you are experiencing are the after effects of the sleeping draught. It's a _very_ intense pain blocker and a sleeping formula at the same time. My sisters and I decided to use it on you today, because having large portions of your skin removed would not be a pleasant thing to feel. We couldn't simply remove the dishonorable scars, so we had to completely remove all of the skin on your forearms and upper legs. Without having taken the sleeping draught you would _still_ be screaming in pain for another two days, and we don't want you to suffer like that." Yeyinde said in a soft gentle tone.

Lilith turned in the woman's lap and gaped up at her in disbelief.

'_Oh no… No! They… they're going to make me like them! I… I can't like them… if I do…'_ Lilith couldn't bring herself to finish that thought. The idea was just too horrible to contemplate.

"Everything will seem different for a while, so just be still, and let them put your clothing on for you. You might feel a little dizzy for a while longer, but that's normal. We just need to make sure that everything is out of your system so you won't end up falling over or hurting yourself because of faulty reactions." Than-guan said in a reassuring purr.

Shocked into being still for a moment, Lilith noticed that the two Predator women took full advantage of the time and working together, they got her clothes on quickly. Then, everything turned into a strange dream-like blur, as Than-guan carried her into the first room. She saw a Predator sitting down in the room, but it was a few seconds before everything stopped moving so she could see that it was Scar.

"Well? How did it go?" Setg'in asked eagerly as he stood up.

"Than-guan and her esteemed sisters have managed to remove all of the scarring from the pup's arms and legs. There was also some internal damage to Lilith's arms that was also corrected. Soon, we'll have a perfectly healthy pup living with us." Guan said happily.

"Lil-ith?" What is that?" Setg'in asked tilting his head slightly to his right while cautiously sounding out the unfamiliar word.

"Lilith is Little One's proper name…" Guan began.

"She spoke?" Setg'in interrupted with an elated smile.

"Only briefly, I'm afraid. I'm starting to feel like a mother with a new suckling who's eagerly waiting to hear those first words." Guan answered a little bitterly.

As her son nodded his head in understanding, Guan looked at the ooman who was being held protectively in Than-guan's arms, and silently offered up a fervent prayer to Paya that the pup would begin to speak to them soon. That the little ooman had been made to suffer far more than any pup could _ever_ deserve was born out by the countless scars that still adorned the female's back. It was something that angered her more than anything ever had before. It was a cold deadly rage that boiled just beneath the surface, waiting for the perfect opportunity to explode. The problem was, she needed two things from this ooman pup; first, she needed the pup to begin speaking to her. Then, she needed the pup to tell her who had done such horrible things, so that she could make _them_ suffer before she killed them like the Bad Bloods they truly were.

Guan shook her head sadly before she reached over to gently stroke the pup's hair. _'I wish that you would talk to us Little One, because this isn't right.'_

"While I was waiting, I talked to one of my friends, and he spoke to one of his uncles, and they came up with a very good idea. Now, I just need to find out if the pup… Lil-ith… likes it." Setg'in said with a grin as he reached into a pouch and retrieved something.

Lilith frowned when Scar hung something around her neck. Grabbing it in her right hand, she held it so she could see it. Whatever it was, was really warm for some reason, and she was still seeing trails of things, so she had to hold it still for a moment so she could see the details of it. Once she was able to see it clearly, she realized that it was a medallion of some kind that was on a chain, like a necklace. Realizing that it was upside down, she turned it around so she'd be able to get a better look at it. She had to hold is still for a minute after she turned it around, but then she saw that it looked sort of like a solid jet black medal. It had a strange symbol carved all the way through it. It was kind of like a weirdly shaped 'T' except that the bottom was curved a little and the two lines didn't touch. The symbol looked oddly familiar to her for some reason.

Lilith looked up at Scar curiously. She couldn't understand why he'd given this to her, but then the blurry features solidified into the face she recognized, and Lilith's eyes went wide when she realized that the symbol on the medal was the same one he'd made on his forehead. _'Why did he give me this?'_ She wondered idly.

"Heat-metal?" Guan asked in surprise when she saw how brightly the medallion stood out against the pup's much lower body heat. "How were you able to afford something like that, and where did you get it?"

Guan knew the properties of the material in question. She knew that it was _horrendously_ expensive, because of the way the metal would constantly absorb certain types of ambient radiated energy, and convert that energy into radiant heat. It was that unique feature that made the metal so costly, but also _incredibly_ useful to the Yautja species. She eyed her youngest son expectantly, because she _knew_ that this was not only his first real purchase, but also that it would be his first real debt as well. Guan was certain that she wasn't going to like the price that was attached to the purchase.

"Well, that's a bit of a strange story. See… I talked to my friend, Thwei-de-th'syra, (Bloody Skull) and he sent me to his uncle. I told them the problem, and that I needed a solution, the three of us, came up with an idea, and that was the necklace. The thing is Thwei-de's uncle owes his sibling a favor that he hasn't had time to deal with, so in return for the necklace, I have to go to Thwei-de-Nihkou'te's (Bloody Tusk) shop, and hunt down a lot of Tunnel Runners. I talked with the owner of the shop, and he doesn't expect me to eliminate _all_ of them, because apparently, there's well over a hundred of the vermin, and they've nested somewhere in the vent system. All he wants me to do is try to make a decent dent in their population. In exchange, Thwei-de's uncle gave me the medallion for Little One." Setg'in answered simply.

Than-guan burst out laughing, even as Guan glared at her son sharply. "That boy has _got_ to be one of the _luckiest_ Yautja I've ever met!" She exclaimed with a loud chortle. "I would've had to sell half the equipment in my lab for that disk, and _he_ only has to go on a simple hunt!"

Than-guan couldn't believe her ears. She turned around and stepped over to a stuffed chair and placed the ooman pup in it so she could pay attention to the now_very_ interesting conversation. She walked back over to listen avidly to what was being said.

As soon as she was plopped down in the big chair, Lilith looked around and was instantly bored. There were no pictures on the walls, no paintings, and only a few statues that didn't look very interesting at all. Besides, she had to stop moving for a few seconds to get everything _else_ to stop moving too. That made her wonder what it would be like to try to walk. What that in mind, she slid out of the chair, and nearly giggled at how everything kept moving. She didn't even think about it as she made her way over to the door. Stepping into the hallway, she smelled food from one of the rooms across the hall, and she tried to follow that smell.

The whole world tilted crazily each time Lilith took a step, and she had to walk slow just to be able to see what was in front of her. Once she made it into the new room, she giggled loudly when she fell because everything looked _really_ crazy right then. It took her a couple of seconds to realize that she was actually on the floor, and it took her even longer to get up. When she finally managed that feat, she wobbled over to the counter where the top of it was just above her head. Holding onto it, and standing on her tip toes, she could just see a bowl with a bunch of things in it. She would have sworn that she could smell some kind of steak from somewhere, but that was suddenly ignored in favor of what she spied sitting there in the bowl.

There it was; right there on the counter; a big… fat… mango… so red and huge that her mouth started watering just from _looking_ at it. She stretched out her arm as far as she could, and grunted with the effort of straining, but she couldn't even _touch_ the bowl with her fingertips! Lilith dropped back to her feet, and looked around angrily. She had to do that slowly because of how everything kept leaving those weird, but cool trails. Only now, that was a little irritating to her. She closed her eyes and rubbed her face firmly in an effort to get the trails to go away so she could see.

As she opened her eyes, Lilith thought her attempt had worked. She could see a table with a few chairs around it. They were chairs that she thought she would be able to move. She grinned in delight at the thought of dragging one over to the counter and getting her hands on the huge mango that was just _waiting_ for her to eat it. As soon as she took a step towards the table, she blinked in surprise. The trails were back. She huffed in irritation, but slowly made her determined way over to the table.

Grabbing one of the chairs, Lilith started to drag it over to the counter, only to find that it barely moved. She tried harder, and discovered that it took every last ounce of strength she had to move that stupid chair. It seemed to take forever as she grunted, groaned, heaved, and strained to move that one chair a few measly feet, so she could get her hands on the mango sitting there on the counter. Then, with one final shove that drained her completely, Lilith had the chair in place. It was a good thing too, because she knew that chair was heavier than it looked, and she didn't think she could move it any further.

Lilith leaned against the chair while she tried to catch her breath. She didn't know it, but she was feeling another effect of her extended and unwanted stay in the basement. Being unable to exercise for the past several years had served to not only reduce her stamina, but her strength had dwindled as well. She didn't realize or even think about such things as she slowly caught her breath. All she could think about was getting her hands on that giant mango.

'_I'm drooling almost as bad as Slobber!'_ She thought with a giggle as she climbed up into the chair. She paused for a moment to let her vision settle so she could see what she was about to reach for. A triumphant squeal of delight echoed through the room when she pulled the giant mango to her chest and sat down in the chair.

Lilith refused to take a single hand off the mango for any reason. She wasn't about to let go of her hard won prize as she struggled her way out of the chair, and onto her feet. It wasn't until she was standing on the floor that she realized she had no way of cutting through the rind so she could peel her giant mango. Her finger nails weren't strong enough to do the job, and she had no idea where her knife was, and there wasn't anything she could see that would do the job.

Lilith was heartbroken as she stopped in the hallway. Here she was with the biggest reddest, and she was sure, _juiciest_ mango in the universe right in her hands… and she had no way to peel it so she could eat it. Tears of frustration welled up in her blue eyes as she looked longingly at the massive fruit that was actually starting to get heavy. She remembered seeing watermelons at the grocery store that she was _sure_ were smaller than this thing.

As he rounded the corner, Thwei-de-guan froze at the sight in front of him. He knew that was an ooman standing there, but he had no idea why it was here on Yaut, much less why it was here in the medical center. Taking a better look at the ooman showed him that there was very little musculature on the thing's body, and that it wasn't very tall in that the ooman might reach the bottom of his ribcage if it stood next to him. Then air being constantly moved by the ventilation system allowed him to catch the scent of the ooman, and he realized that it was a female.

"_A female ooman that small? Must be a pup that someone caught, but what's it doing here; why is it just standing there, and who would be dishonorable enough to catch a mere pup to begin with?'_ He wondered curiously. Stepping closer to find out, he spotted the Naxa fruit in the ooman's arms.

Thwei-de-guan didn't even think about it, or hesitate as he plucked the unpeeled fruit out of the ooman's grasp and began to score the rind with the claw on his right thumb. As soon as he'd grabbed the fruit, the ooman turned around with a startled gasp, and he saw that he had been correct in his guess that the ooman was a pup. He also saw just how skinny the ooman was. He tore away one section of the rind and handed the fruit back to the ooman in front of him.

Lilith stared up at the Predator in surprise. She'd been sure that he would take her prize away from her after everything she'd gone through to get it, but instead he… he had started to peel it for her! Then, before she could take a bite out of her giant mango, the big Predator leaned down to talk to her. Lilith couldn't help but laugh at how funny he looked with the top of his head still stretched out to where he'd been standing up straight.

"Where are you supposed to be little ooman?" Thwei-de-guan asked curiously as he leaned down to face the little thing.

That was when the ooman burst out laughing at him. He flared his mandibles in mounting anger, and was about to growl at the ooman when he caught a strong scent of sleeping draught on the ooman's breath. Standing up in surprise, only made the ooman laugh a little harder while looking up at him. Concerned because he knew the effects of the sleeping draught, he stepped closer to the pup to try getting the scent of any Yautja she'd been close to recently. That was when the ooman went to step back and fell because of the distorted coordination. The fall only made the ooman laugh even harder than before.

When the Predator had stood up, the trails that Lilith kept seeing made his bottom mandibles stretch out so far that it made his mouth look like it was about to fall off, or as if he might take a bite out of the floor. That was really funny, but then he got closer, and she couldn't see him as well, so she tried to back up a step, and fell down. She thought that was funny too. Then she felt something large and heavy in her lap, so she looked down, and saw the partly peeled giant mango sitting there. That, was when she remembered it, and forgot all about the big Predator she'd just been laughing at.

A huff of pure frustration left his mouth as he stared down at the strange little ooman. He knew very well that coordination, judgment, balance, and even reasoning ability were all _severely_ affected by the sleeping draught, and that the mind of this ooman was most likely floating somewhere in orbit, because it _certainly_wasn't locked in her head where it was supposed to be! Just then the door to his right slid open and two females came rushing out, only to stop as soon as they spotted the ooman sitting in the middle of the hall eating a Naxa fruit.

"There you are Lilith! Why did you wander off, and where did you go? I told you that you shouldn't try to walk until that draught is out of your system." Yeyinde chided as she knelt down next to the little pup. "Where'd you get the fruit?"

Lilith glanced up at Thingy, and pointed at the room to her right, before going right back to eating the _tastiest_ mango she'd ever had. She'd turned it long ways, and was going at it from one end so she could make sure not to waste any of the juice.

"I saw her standing here in the hall when I came around the corner. She already had the fruit with her. I started the peel for her." Thwei-de-guan said quickly before he looked at the healer kneeling next to the ooman. "Now perhaps you can tell me what this ooman _pup_ is doing here, when it's obvious that she should be on her own world with her ooman family." He added sharply.

"I was taking my Chiva in a Temple of Passage when I encountered her there Elder. Even though I am not all that familiar with oomans, I still knew at once that she is a pup because she wasn't nearly as tall as the other female ooman who was with her. She survived the Hard Meat where they did not; she also attacked one, and managed to draw blood with a blade not much longer than one of her own fingers. With the other oomans dead, and no way for her to survive in the wasteland of the Temple; there was no choice but to bring her here; especially since she was injured at the time." Setg'in answered quickly.

Thwei-de-guan looked the Youngblood over with a sharp eye for details, and he instantly noticed how fresh the not fully healed Blooding mark was. Curious, Thwei-de-guan reached for the mask on his belt to better examine the ooman.

"Administrator, I must respectfully ask that you do not do that. I have examined the ooman pup in detail, and I must insist that no _male_ do so." Than-guan spoke up quickly.

The Administrator of the medical center looked sharply at the finest healer he knew of, and tried to understand the meaning behind the command. He thought about that insistence as he stared at the healer for a long moment before he suddenly realized the only reason that such a demand would be made. The only reason for the exclusion of any type of male examination would have to be because the female had been forced at some point.

Thwei-de-guan's blood turned to solid ice in his veins before he looked down at the ooman pup still sitting on the floor, and while eating the Naxa fruit in a drug induced stupor. _'But… she's… she's still a pup…'_ He thought in a daze.

He looked back at the others who were gathered somewhat protectively around the ooman female, and saw an expression of puzzled confusion on the freshly Blooded young male. That was when he understood exactly why it had been said without being actually mentioned. "How badly was she injured?" Thwei-de-guan asked dazedly.

"My sisters and I, have just finished replacing the skin on her lower arms and upper legs. The skin of her back is still in need of replacement. I can't say if her condition causes her pain or not, but it's best to take no chances." Than-guan replied honestly.

The Administrator closed his eyes for a moment. Then he thought of something else and looked at the healer again. "Can you tell me why she's been so heavily drugged?"

"That occurred because of an error in judgment, Administrator. She was offered one _small_ cup of the sleeping draught, and where any Yautja would have sipped at it disgustedly for quite some time, she apparently _liked_ the taste of it enough that she wanted more. She was then provided with a half portion in the same cup, which she immediately drained. The dosage was calculated for her size and metabolism, but it was also calculated at being given over a long interval, not within a mere moment. That is why she is still feeling the effects so strongly." Than-guan answered.

"Get her to a secure environment then, because she may well go to sleep suddenly, and wake quickly for no apparent reason for the next half day or so." Thwei-de-guan instructed quickly as he turned and left.

Than-guan nodded to Yeyinde, who quickly picked up the ooman from her spot on the floor, before they all returned to the lounge which served as a type of waiting room. "The Administrator is right. Little One… Lilith will endure some erratic sleeping habits for the next half day, maybe even a full day. She is in no danger, and the only ill effects are that her physical coordination will be highly disturbed. She may be much more compliant than normal, but that's to be expected. The draught has one effect of making the subject _unusually_ happy for some reason. Although in her case, I'm sure she's in need of a release from her constant stress."

"That's true, Sister. After all, she's on a completely new world now, where nothing is known or familiar, and after what she's endured… she has to be under a large amount of stress from all of this." Yeyinde said quickly. "Think about it. There can't be many oomans who know about our existence if they've forgotten what a Temple of Passage is for. How would one of us feel if we were a tortured pup, who suddenly found ourselves in ooman hands, under their control, and with no choice but to be raised by them?" She added pointedly.

Both Yeyinde's sisters and her friend Guan, along with Setg'in stared at her curiously, before they glanced at the ooman being held in her arms.

"Explain." Setg'in asked as he tilted his head to his right in pure curiosity.

"It's actually simple. She's never even heard of our kind before the encounter in the Temple. Now she's stuck on a strange world where she can barely breathe, and under the control of adults she knows almost nothing about; living among a race that is physically larger, faster, and _much_ stronger than the oomans who tormented her. I would think it possible that she's been lied to by adults, and has no reason to believe anything any of us say. I mean, sure we all know each other's honor, and the depth of it, but look at this from another point of view. How can we _prove_ our honor? We can say that we have it, but how would she know that it's not simply another lie that she's being told? From her perspective, I think she might even believe that _we_ would do such things to her! Can we _prove_ that we wouldn't? If we were to say it; how is she to know that we aren't Bad Bloods who lie to her? What does she truly know about us? I'll tell you… _nothing_! All she knows right now; is what she's been through. So how can she be experiencing anything _but_ severe stress?" Yeyinde finished softly before looking down at the ooman who was ignoring them in favor of eating the Naxa fruit.

Guan looked at the little ooman in her friend's arms and took a deep breath. She closed her eyes as she did so, and carefully analyzed everything she smelled. That was when she noticed it. The scent of stress from the ooman female was so prevalent that she'd actually thought it was part of the ooman's natural scent, but now that the pup wasn't currently releasing those pheromones, she could tell that there was a difference.

"She _has_ been under a lot of stress. I can smell the difference in her." Guan exclaimed in a shocked whisper.

"I know. I recognized it yesterday, when I first met her. Between everything that's been done to her, and coming here, I'm actually surprised that she's not under far more stress than she's currently demonstrating." Yeyinde answered softly.

Yeyinde looked down at the currently happy female that she held in her arms and sadly shook her head. "I know that most Yautja consider my field of expertise to be a waste of skill and knowledge, and there are a lot of cases where they're right…" She began.

"Those skills are going to be hard pressed in _this_ case, Sister! That pup will _need_ your knowledge of how to heal her mind and spirit, even more than she needs our skills to heal the damage to her body. The Bad Bloods who did such things to her aren't here, but the effects of what they did to her are more than evident. Why else would she choose to remain silent? They did _something_ to her to cause that! I'm sure of it, but I can't begin to guess what it might be, or how to deal with it. The three of us can work together to repair her body, but _you_ are the only one I know outside of a Holy Temple who can help her to recover from the mental damage that's been done." Than-guan interrupted in a firm tone.

"Your sister is right Yeyinde. The first time I spoke to Lilith, I asked who had hurt her, and her immediate reaction was first fear, and then a despair so strong that even my most intense purring didn't seem to be of much help. I know it should have calmed her down, but… her sorrow and fear were so overwhelming that I had almost no effect in soothing her." Guan said with angry dismay. "I think my holding her might have been more effective than my purring." She added disgustedly.

"You see? Your unique skills are needed by a _pup_. I know you aren't fully trained as a healer, but you're the only one who can help to heal her mind and spirit. A Priest or a Priestess? Yes, they might be able to help some, but even _they_ don't have the skills you do. This is one time, my Sister, when it is _your_ knowledge that can make the difference between success and failure." Than-guan stated.

"I know..." Yeyinde replied as she looked back at her sister before glancing at the ooman again. "It's not a pleasant thing to realize either; I had thought to heal those who'd been wronged by Bad Bloods, but I… I never suspected that my first victim would be so young, and so traumatized that she won't even talk about what happened to her. To be honest… I don't know if I'll be of much help when I don't know what she's been through or what happened."

Suddenly the attention of all four females was attracted by the sound of a menacing and deadly growl coming from Setg'in.

Deep in his soul, Setg'in felt a rage the likes of which he'd never experienced before. It was accompanied by an incredibly intense hatred that burned through him like the blood of a Hard Meat. It was a rage, and hatred for those who had hurt the ooman pup so grievously that she would no longer even speak if she could help it. He remembered how she had teased him during his Chiva in the Temple of Passage. Then, his growl faltered as he recalled how she had turned in the midst of being pulled away from the danger that he represented… and _smiled_ at him.

"What's wrong?" Guan asked her son as he tilted his head in apparent confusion while staring at the ooman pup.

Setg'in shook his head slightly as his eyes narrowed in thought. _'Surely that can't be right! Could she have become so accustomed to facing death that she actually enjoyed being in such a situation?'_ He didn't know if his suspicion was correct or not, but either way, it was a very disturbing thought.

"What's wrong, is what's been done to her. I'm not sure which oomans are responsible for what's been done to her, but those that _are_ responsible need to _pay_for their crimes! They should be made to stand before her and apologize for their foul deeds! If they are already dead, then I can only pray that Cetanu himself has turned his back on them, and forever rejected their souls, so they will wander the after life forever as prey for _everything_! May The Dark Hunter pursue them_forever_!" Setg'in said in an angry growl as his body shook with rage.

Guan's mouth dropped open as she gaped at her son in disbelief. To wish such a thing on the spirit or soul of _anyone_ was the most dire and severe insult that could ever be uttered. She knew beyond any doubt that he was serious though, and she couldn't blame him in the slightest for feeling that way, because she whole-heartedly agreed with him.

"Well said Setg'in. Well said indeed." Than-guan-thwei approved.

"Guan, you should take the Little One home to rest now. She'll need time to recover from the procedure we performed today, plus I don't want to overload her body with chemicals unless it's absolutely necessary. That's why we'll wait until the day after tomorrow to remove the scars on her back. This way she can have tomorrow to rid her body of the chemicals before we give her more. After that, the rest will be up to you, your family, Lilith, and Yeyinde, because it her spirit will be the only thing left to be healed." Than-guan instructed.

"Wait! What do you mean by removing the scars from her back? What scars does she have there?" Setg'in demanded quickly.

"Setg'in you are not to breathe a _word_ of this to Hulij-bpe! He would go berserk if he even _suspected_ the true extent of her injuries! The fact is; Lilith was whipped horribly. So much so, that even though all of the injuries there are long healed, it might possibly cause her pain to be touched on her back even now. Than-guan still isn't sure how she survived being whipped like that, because her back is a solid mass of scar tissue. Her injuries on her arms were nothing compared to the damage she has on her back." Guan said firmly.

"I want to see it." Setg'in demanded instantly.

"No, you don't. For myself, I wish that I had never seen it. I can also wish that she had never been forced to receive such an abomination. After having seen it, I have to believe that Paya was with the Little One that day, and She must have made certain that Cetanu was occupied elsewhere; it's the only thing that could explain how she survived such horror." Than-guan said carefully.

Setg'in stared at the small ooman being held by his mother's friend as his mind raced in thought. He thought about how he and his brothers had been raised; how his friends had been raised; how everyone he'd ever known had been raised, and then he thought about what kind of upbringing this tiny, fragile little ooman had endured so far. It was the kind of thing that made him wonder if honor even existed outside the Yautja race. But then he shook his head, because he realized that if Lilith had possessed no honor, that there were many things she would have done differently in the Temple of Passage; smashing the plasma cannon she'd been made to carry was only one of those things. He watched with unseeing eyes as his mother took the ooman in her arms and began to walk home. He followed without thinking about his action because he was absorbed in speculative thought about the ooman female he'd discovered in the Temple.

He was so lost in thought, that Setg'in didn't notice they'd entered their home until a shout caught his attention.

"Slobber!"

Guan stared in slack-jawed astonishment as the ooman pup she'd just placed on the floor staggered drunkenly towards the massive Yaut Hound with an excited shout. _'Slobber? Why would she yell 'slobber' at Bakuub?'_ Guan wondered curiously before she cut off that thought with a sudden realization. _'She spoke. She actually spoke! Thank you Paya! Perhaps there is hope in this after all.'_ She thought as a burst of relief flooded through her.

Then Guan was staring as she realized exactly _why_ the ooman pup had yelled the word 'slobber'. The massive Yaut Hound was using her tongue to literally bathe the ooman pup's face, while Lilith laughed loudly and happily. Seeing her son stepping forward, she knew that he intended to get in on the fun filled greeting in some way. She put a hand out to stop him, and shook her head when he looked at her. This was the first time that she'd seen Lilith be happy in her home, and it was also the first time she'd heard the Little One speak. She wanted to savor this moment for as long as it would last.

As soon as she was placed on her feet, Lilith spotted the form of the huge beast heading towards her. She was in a really good mood right now, because during the trip over here _everything_ had looked like she was moving at 'Warp-speed'. Even now, Slobber looked like she was about to go to warp. Everything kept stretching out, and it made almost everything look funny as hell. Then, when Slobber started licking her face, that long weird looking reddish brown tongue seemed to be everywhere at once, and she knew there was no way she could catch it to make Slobber stop slobbering on her.

Spotting the door to the room that she'd been told was hers; she headed for it, but had to hold on to one of Slobber's spikes. The whole world kept tilting at crazy angles when she walked, and she found it hilarious. She sat down next to all the stuffed things in the corner, and idly threw one of them across the room just to watch it stretch. Suddenly, Slobber was off like a shot! She went after the what-ever-that-is and picked it up, only to bring it back to her. Lilith grinned at the idea of watching Slobber stretch all over the room, so she threw the thing again. The impromptu game of fetch went on for quite a while, when Lilith spotted something else on the floor.

She crawled over and picked it up to see what it was. It a sort of wide strap that had a 'D' shaped handle on each end. Messing around with it, she found that the strap would stretch. She had no idea what it was, but she immediately came up with a totally _different_ use for it. She slipped one handle on each foot, grabbed a stuffed thingamajig, and put it in the middle of the strap. Then lying on her back, she pulled the stuffed toy as close to her face as she could before letting go.

Slobber took off like a rocket after the flying toy that bounced off the wall, and almost grabbed the thing before it ricocheted off the wall of the room. Slobber pounced on the wall and never paused in her pursuit of the stuffed toy. Stretched halfway around the room Slobber looked like she was a centipede of something, and Lilith just had to laugh. Crawling back to the corner where the big pile of stuffed things was, Lilith began using them as ammunition for her improvised slingshot, while she laughed until her stomach hurt from watching Slobber chase them all over the room. Lilith was so busy laughing and loading her slingshot as fast as she could, that she never noticed the door slide open.

As the door slid open, Guan saw something headed straight at her with an incredible amount of speed. Instantly she ducked to the side and saw nothing but a blur come flying out the door and over Setg'in's head. That blur was instantly followed by the huge form of Bakuub who knocked Setg'in straight to the floor in pursuit of the object. Guan gaped at her son as loud peals of laughter emerged from the pup's room. Then just as Setg'in sat up shaking some sense back into his head, Bakuub knocked him flat once more as she bounded back into the room. The laughter only got louder, and Guan hesitantly peeked into the room to see what was going on.

She saw Lilith lying on her back with the strength band on her feet, and a stuffed animal being held in the center of it. Lilith was laughing so hard that she could barely stretch the band towards her chest, but when she let go, the stuffed animal went flying through the air to go straight out the door. Guan reacted just as fast as she would have done in a combat situation. She grabbed her son and yanked him out of the way without a single instant to spare as Bakuub tore out of the room to snap her powerful jaws on the stuffed creature before returning to Lilith's side to drop the toy next to her while waiting for the next one to be launched.

"What the pauk _hit_ me?" Setg'in growled irritably as he rubbed the back of his now aching head.

"Bakuub hit you like an out of control deployment pod. Do _not_ stand in the door, because…" Guan began to warn but was cut off when a stuffed toy went whizzing out of the room followed by a swiftly moving Yaut Hound in hot pursuit.

Setg'in shook his head as he realized how lucky he'd been, when he knew that he could have been seriously injured if he'd been trampled by the large Yaut Hound. "That… that's got to be the weirdest thing I've ever seen her do." He muttered in quiet awe as he watched the huge beast move almost as fast as the deadly weapon she was named for.

"That's actually something very close to what she's trained for. Pursuing small prey that's trying to escape is something the Yaut Hound is bred for. That and keeping the Tunnel Runner population under control." Guan answered softly as she peered carefully back into the room.

"Lilith? Would you mind not flinging your toys for a moment? I'd like to see how you're doing by examining your responses to make sure you aren't having any problems from the sleeping draught." Guan called into the room from her position beside the door.

A malicious sounding snicker quickly turned into an almost evil sounding laugh as one of the toys landed right in the doorway. Instantly the bulk known as Bakuub filled the door while retrieving the toy.

Setg'in started snickering as his mother gaped at the departing Yaut Hound. "She can be a sneaky one, can't she?" He asked before bursting out laughing.

"Yes, she can." Guan answered as she popped her head around the corner to look into the room. Her quick glance showed her that the ooman was sitting in the far corner with her arm raised to throw another of the stuffed animals, but was now laughing too hard to throw it accurately.

"Don't… throw that at me, Lilith. Setg'in got very lucky the first time you threw that out of the room. He could have been hurt or even killed when Bakuub ran over him like that." Guan said seriously, as she watched Lilith carefully. She had been told that Lilith might have some difficulty in reasoning things out, so she wasn't going to take any chances with a Yaut Hound that was over twice her weight being controlled by the ooman pup.

Guan watched as the pup dropped the toy with a huff, and gave a quick two-tone whistle to draw Slobber closer to her. "May I come in?" She asked cautiously.

Guan saw the pup signal her assent with a nod, and entered the room to kneel beside the small female. "I need to know how you're doing. Are you feeling okay?"

Lilith snickered and nodded her head. Then she leaned close to Gwen and suddenly thrust one of the weird looking animals right in front of the woman's face. Slobber acted instantly by lunging at the thing but didn't actually bite down on it. Suddenly, Lilith eyes shot wide and her mouth dropped open as she realized that nearly half her arm was in Slobbers mouth.

"Bakuub! Release!" Guan snapped as soon as she saw what had happened. She couldn't help but notice the sharp tang of fear from the pup, as the Yaut Hound let go of both the animal, and the pup's arm. Guan was instantly relieved that she didn't smell a single drop of ooman blood, which was more than a little surprising to her giving the fanged nature of Bakuub's dagger like teeth. She took the toy out of Lilith's hand and placed it on the floor, before gathering the ooman in her arms. "Come Lilith, it's time for evening meal. You're probably hungry by now, aren't you?"

Lilith nodded her head even as her stomach growled in agreement. The thought of something to eat sounded really good right then. Gwen carried her to the table and wiped her hands and arms down with a damp cloth that smelled funny, before putting her in that stupid booster chair again.

As soon as the food was put in front of her, Lilith began to devour it hungrily, but then she slowed down just a bit so she could watch the Predators carefully.

"So how did things go today? Better than yesterday, I hope." Kwei-vor'mekta asked casually.

"Things were not all that good upon reaching the medical center, because there were far too many males blatantly appraising Little One's skull even though I was carrying her…" Guan began angrily.

"That's true, but I _seriously_ doubt that they were prepared for your response mother." Setg'in chimed in with a snicker. "That growl you were giving off had me ready to run, and I don't think I was even being considered as a target for that rage."

"You weren't." Guan said simply.

"_Mother_ almost gave in to _Bearer's Rage_?" Hulij-bpe asked in soft disbelief. "And you stuck around for it?" He continued in the same tone. "Even _I'm_ not _that_stupid!"

"Brother, if you think I was going to attract her attention by turning to run when she was facing away from me then you underestimate me. I was simply waiting for her to attack those she was facing before running." Setg'in replied seriously to several chuckles from other members of his family.

"So what happened next?" Kwei asked intently.

"Well, I got her into the center, and the surgery went well, although we were all surprised by the fact that Little One seems to actually _like_ the taste of the sleeping draught…"

"That stuff is _horrible_!" Nihkou'te interrupted in disgust.

"Yes it is, but she enjoyed it enough to drink a second half dose which was calculated for her size and metabolism. Thwei simply didn't figure on it being consumed so quickly, and that's why the effects lasted longer than they should have. Other wise, the procedure went well." Guan finished.

"What exactly did they do to her?" Hulij-bpe asked suddenly.

"Than-guan and her sisters cloned a large amount of Little One's skin and blood, so they could replace the damaged skin on her arms and upper legs." Guan supplied.

"That must have been _incredibly_ expensive!" Nihkou'te exclaimed softly.

"It was; even more expensive than sending the three of you to take your Chiva." Gaun replied frankly.

"So she's perfectly healthy now… right?" Hulij-bpe asked hopefully.

"Not quite. She still has one more procedure to go through before she's given a perfect slate of health. But I _did_ learn something of importance today." Guan finished proudly.

"Really? And what was that?" Kwei asked curiously.

"The Little One's true name is Lilith… and I _think_ she calls Bakuub, _'Slobber'_." Guan answered smugly.

Hulij-bpe turned to face the little ooman beside him at the table and didn't notice that she'd literally frozen in place while staring at his mother with wide eyes and an open mouth. "Finally! I can start calling you by your real name. See? I knew you'd like living with us!" He exclaimed happily before turning back to his food.

Lilith stared at Gwen in total shock. _'They… they paid for a surgery on me that was more expensive than sending a spaceship to Earth!'_ She thought in confusion. _'Why? Why would they do that? Why would they waste money on me like that? They can't! Once they find out how worthless I am… Oh god! They'll… they'll be so mad they'll really make me hurt.'_ She realized in horror.

Good food, pleasant conversation, and the absence of any bickering had put Guan in a _very_ good mood. That's why she was thoroughly surprised to catch the strong acrid tang of a _very_ intense fear from the ooman pup beside her. I quick glance showed her that Lilith was looking at her instead of eating. That was when she saw that Lilith wasn't eating at _all_!

"Lilith? What's wrong? Are you choking?" Guan asked immediately as she reached out to comfort the ooman.

Lilith shook her head, and ducked away from the outstretched hand. Then, in a flash, she was sprawled on the floor after jumping out of the booster chair, and running for the room where she'd been told she'd be safe. She didn't stop running until she was sitting in the far corner of the room with a large stuffed creature of some kind pulled into her lap and tears running down her face.

Guan stared in pure shock as Lilith bolted for her room emanating pure fright the whole way. She couldn't begin to guess what had gotten Lilith so scared. She knew that the ooman pup was clearly terrified of something, but the question was… what could it possibly be? She pulled back her left hand, which was still raised towards where the pup had been sitting, and dropped it to her lap. She looked down at the table without seeing what was there, because anger and confusion were clouding her mind.

'_What the pauk did those Cetanu cursed Bad Blooded oomans do to you Lilith?'_ She wondered. Guan knew that Lilith's fear just _had_ to have been caused by them in some way, because there wasn't anything else it could have been.

"Everyone finish your evening meal. I need some time to think. I'll see that Lilith gets something to eat later." Guan said as she left the table and headed to her own room.

Guan-Kv'var-de sat down on her bed as a pure rage coursed through her body like a raging wild fire. Angrily she slammed her fist down on the table beside her bed.

"_I have lost the will to be… there's nothing more inside of me…"_

"_I have lost the will to live… simply nothing more to give…"_

"_Emptiness is filling me… to the point of agony…"_

"_Growing darkness taking dawn… I was me, but now me is gone…"_

Purest horror froze the blood in Guan's veins when she heard those words being sung in a soft, despondent, and tear filled voice that could have come from no one but Lilith. In bewilderment she glanced down at the table beside her bed, and realized that she'd activated the monitoring system in Lilith's room when she'd hit the table with her fist.

There wasn't a single coherent thought in her mind besides getting to the ooman pup who was now living in her home. She paused outside the door to the room more out of some instinct than anything else and hesitated before she opened the door.

"Lilith? May I enter?" She asked softly.

Guan saw the pup reluctantly nod her head, and somehow knowing that this wasn't a time to be disturbed, she locked the door behind her. Then she walked over, sat down next to the softly crying female pup, and pulled the little ooman into her lap. She sat there purring softly, without saying a word while she stroked Lilith's arms and tried to comfort the pup as best she could.


	12. Belly of the Beast

Guan opened the door to Lilith's room to find it completely empty. She could see that the ooman wasn't hiding among the stuffed toys as she had the day before, because they were still strewn about the room in a fair bit of a mess.

"Bakuub!" Guan called out, knowing that as well trained as the Yaut Hound was, that she would easily track down the ooman pup. After waiting for a moment or two, she called again, and the only response she heard was a soft growl coming from the main hall where the fireplace was. Curious as to why the Yaut Hound hadn't come when summoned, Guan made her way to the living area, and saw the massive Yaut Hound lying on the floor in front of the still glowing coals of the fireplace, and Lilith leaning against the side of the large beast asleep. When she saw that, she couldn't help but smile.

Guan stepped forward intending to wake the little ooman, but froze when Bakuub raised her head and bared her teeth in a silent snarl while looking straight at her. Guan flexed her mandibles slightly at what she was seeing. Her _own_ Yaut Hound was really snarling at her! She took one more step forward only to receive a deep but soft growl in return.

Her first reaction was one of surprise. Guan knew that she had trained the Yaut Hound to be incredibly defensive of Guan's own pups, but she never would have thought that an ooman pup might be seen the same way. She was a little irritated at first, but then Guan realized that if Bakuub was going to be that protective of Lilith, that it would only be beneficial to the ooman. Her mandibles again flexed in a smile, because she knew the Yaut Hound would readily fight to the death to defend what she considered to be her pack. A silent nod of her head showed the approval she felt at that realization, and she knelt down to call the ooman's name.

"Lilith. Lilith, you need to wake up Little One." Guan called out softly but firmly. It took her several tries before the ooman pup finally raised her head to look over at her.

"Come Little One, you need to eat your morning meal." Guan said gently.

Guan watched as Lilith moved as if in a drunken daze. The pup staggered towards her with her eyes opening only part way every few steps. She watched Lilith closely as the ooman made her way to the dining table. She noticed the Yaut Hound padding silently behind the pup, and was immediately convinced that Bakuub had firmly taken to the Little One. It was a sentiment she agreed with whole-heartedly, because even with the short amount of time that she'd spent with the little ooman, Lilith was rapidly growing on her.

"How is she able to walk around like that?" Hulij-bpe asked curiously when he noticed how seldom Lilith actually opened her eyes.

"I'm not sure. I know that as an ooman, she sees much differently than we do, so it may be that she's able to see in here, when it's cool enough that we can't." Guan answered as she placed Lilith in the elevated chair so she could eat.

As she took her own seat at one end of the table, Guan couldn't help but notice the silent, questioning looks from the other members of her family. She silently shook her head to signal them not to ask about the previous night. She quickly fixed Lilith's plate of food and placed it in front of the little ooman, who promptly grabbed the hot broth first.

Guan shook her head lightly as she thought about the events of the evening before. She had spent several ooman hours holding Lilith who had been terrified for some unknown reason. Her most intense purring which should have been more than enough to calm the pup's fears seemed to have very little effect, and because of that, Guan knew that whatever the problem was, to Lilith, it was very serious. The problem would most likely be made worse, because she knew that she had a meeting later, which would be with some of the Clan Elders who wanted to know about the ooman now living in her home. She knew that Kwei also had such a meeting, with other Elders who wanted the same information from a different perspective. It would be time consuming, boring, and tedious, and she was sure that Lilith wouldn't enjoy it, since she wouldn't actually be allowed to attend the meeting.

"I need someone to stay with Lilith today. Kwei and I both have meetings that we must attend, and they'll likely take up most of the day." Guan finished sourly.

"I can take her with me. I know Hulij-bpe and Nihkou'te are going hunting for the Clan, but I'll only be hunting Tunnel Runners for a shopkeeper. I can also take Bakuub along since the two seem to like each other." Setg'in piped up quickly.

"Do you know if the shop contains anything dangerous?" Hulij-bpe demanded.

"I doubt it. Even though the owner sells almost any odd thing that gets collected by various hunters on their trips, no one ever lets go of any type of weapon, so she won't be around anything deadly." Setg'in answered.

"What if one of those Tunnel Runners attacks her; what will you do then?" Hulij-bpe shot back.

"Bakuub won't let that happen! She's been trained to protect any pup accepted in this family, and she'll defend Lilith as well." Guan told her large son firmly.

"Can you be sure that she'd defend Lilith? This is an ooman pup we're talking about; not a Yautja pup." Hulij-bpe replied quickly.

"I am certain of it, because Bakuub has already proven to me that she'll defend Lilith with her life if it comes down to it. Lilith slept in the main hall near the fireplace, and she was lying against Bakuub who growled at _me_ when I approached Lilith." Guan clarified.

"But… but how is that possible? You were the one who trained her, and she listens to you before any one else… doesn't she?" Hulij-bpe asked in confusion.

"Yes, she does, because I trained her that way. I also trained her so that she'll defend a sleeping pup even from me, and if she feels the pup is being threatened, it won't matter _who_ it is, Bakuub will do her best to kill them! Because of her small size, Bakuub probably sees Lilith as a pup, and most likely always will." Guan answered with a hint of pride in her tone. "I trained her that way deliberately. It made her an excellent keeper for each of you when you were still pups. Why do you think I allowed her to stay with you so much?"

"_Bakuub_ was my keeper?" Al-Nihkou'te blurted out in surprise.

"Yes, she was, and she was very good at it too. After all, _none_ of you ever realized that you were being guarded." Guan replied smugly.

Guan had to laugh at the expressions of dismay on the faces of her three sons, and she couldn't help but notice the snicker from her Lifemate as well.

"If you trusted Bakuub to watch over _us_, then I have no doubt that she can watch over Lilith." Setg'in said firmly.

"Very well then, Lilith and Bakuub will accompany you on your hunt for the Tunnel Runners. I was thinking that I might have to ask Than-guan to watch over her for me, but a medical center is no place for a pup." Guan said in relief.

A strange sort of gurgling growling noise caught everyone's attention, and the source of the weird sound turned out to be Lilith. In concern, Guan leaned over to check on the small female and realized that the little pup was sitting there completely asleep, and that the noise was being made every time the pup inhaled.

"What's she doing?" Kwei asked interestedly.

"Sleeping." Guan replied in a mystified tone.

"She's making that weird growling noise in her sleep?" Nihkou'te asked in disbelief.

"Yes… she is." Guan answered seriously before placing a hand on the female's shoulder.

Guan had intended to wake the pup gently, but Lilith's eyes snapped open as soon as she was touched, and immediately flinched away from Guan's hand.

"Easy Little One… you were making a strange noise in your sleep. Are you beginning to have trouble breathing?" Guan asked in concern.

Lilith blinked her bleary eyes and yawned widely before looking at Gwen curiously, while she wondered what kind of noise she could have been making. She thought hard for a moment before she remembered something a friend had told her a long time ago before she'd been locked in the basement. It had been after spending the night at her friend's house that she'd been told that she sometimes snored. She looked up at Gwen with a questioning look on her face and made a snoring sound.

"That's it! That's the noise you were making." Guan exclaimed in concern. "Why were you doing that in your sleep?"

Lilith thought about it for a short while. She didn't really know _why_ people snored, even though she knew _how_ they could snore. Since she couldn't explain it, she decided to show Gwen what it was. She opened her mouth as wide as she could and pointed inside.

When Lilith opened her mouth and pointed to it, Guan took a mask from her belt and put it on to get a proper look at the pup's mouth. Suddenly, the pup inhaled, and she could clearly see a piece of flesh at the very back of the pup's mouth, right at the beginning of her throat start to vibrate madly. That vibration was causing it to slap against the sides of the pup's mouth and throat to make the strange noise as air was forced past. Guan quickly switched the visual mode of her mask to see if there was a problem with the pup's ability to breathe. What she saw was that the muscles and flesh was actually _very_ relaxed, and that was what enabled the piece of flesh to vibrate in such a way.

The realization, that Lilith would be that relaxed among them was a _very_ comforting thought to Guan, and she couldn't help purring slightly at the knowledge.

"So you aren't having any added difficulty breathing then?" She asked quickly.

When Lilith shook her head and yawned again, Guan smiled genuinely and pushed the pup's plate closer to her. "Good. Now, I'd like it if you would finish your morning meal, Little One. You need your strength."

Lilith looked down at her plate, before flashing a worried look around the table, and saw that everyone else was done eating, and were drinking cups of the hot broth. She was surprised that they were ignoring her and the food she had in front of her.

Setg'in was watching the female pup surreptitiously as he drank his morning broth. As he watched, he began to understand what his mother had meant the night before. Lilith was watching all of them as much as possible while eating. He could see that she fully expected someone to take it away from her with no intentions of ever giving it back. _'Only a true Bad Blood would dare do such a thing!'_ Setg'in thought angrily before he something occurred to him. _'The only way she would have learned to counter such behavior is by having endured it before, so because I took her plate yesterday, she now expects us to behave the same way!'_

Setg'in's eyes narrowed in concentration as he tried to think of a way to show the little female that his family had Honor, and would never do such a thing. It was one thing to attempt to correct the pup's potentially dangerous eating habits, but to take food from a pup and not give it back? Never! An Honorable Warrior would even give up their own food first, and do so without any hesitation. After all, any half decent Hunter could always get something to eat by hunting, but a pup? A pup wouldn't have the training or the skills to hunt; that was why they were cared for by all.

Guan waited at the table along with the rest of her family until the pup finished eating, and was sipping at the cup of broth while she woke up. She wanted to ask why the pup had decided to sleep in the main room, but didn't because there wasn't likely to be any type of explanation she could easily understand.

'_Three days! Setg'in found this pup in a Temple of Passage three days ago, and already it feels like I've been around her for a lifetime.'_ Guan thought idly. Suddenly, she nearly jerked upright as a thought occurred to her.

'_It has only been three days! That means she was being tortured by ooman Bad Bloods four days ago! She hasn't had the time to adjust to being away from them, or to grow accustomed to being here with us. I'll have to make sure that she's given that time. No matter how much I might wish otherwise, I will not have her pressured, or stressed any more than she already is.'_ Guan realized.

"Did everyone lay their awu'asa out so it can be calibrated by the technician when he arrives? I don't want to see anyone trying to set something out at the last moment because they forgot." Kwei demanded sternly.

"I made sure that everything was properly laid out on the small table in the main hall before I went to sleep last night. There won't be any last instant surprises for the technician." Guan answered quickly.

"Good! Let's wait for him there then. Those technicians hate to be kept waiting for any reason. They act as if they are Cetanu's gift to Hunters, simply because they have the skills to repair and maintain the circuitry in armor." Kwei added grouchily.

"Come Lilith, you can finish your broth in the main hall in front of the fire. I'll build it back up if you like." Guan said as she lifted the pup out of the elevated chair, and stood her on the floor.

Almost as soon as they'd all sat down, a chime sounded signaling that someone was at the door. Kwei-vor'mekta stood and let the technician in, who looked around and quickly spotted the sets of armor already laid out.

"Finally!" The technician exploded in relief. "A house that understands just how busy we are!" The tall medium grey skinned Yautja said happily. "Do you know how often I get called to a house only to have to wait for long periods of time so they can gather their armor? It's maddening! It forces me to be late to almost every appointment afterwards." He said more than half to himself as he stepped over to the low table with several sets of armor laid out on it.

"Why have I been called to calibrate new armor? Are you not pleased with those who made it?" He asked in confusion as he examined one of the masks on the table.

"What do you mean by 'new'?" Guan demanded quickly. "Three of those sets were just used in a Chiva, and one of the others belongs to my Lifemate, while the remaining two are mine, one of which is even my training armor." She said in a puzzled tone.

"Forgive my saying so Honored Warrior, but all of this armor looks to be new. The training armor and the five marked sets all appear to be of recent make." The technician replied softly.

Instantly, all five members of Guan's family were up and standing over the table while they examined the armor in confusion.

"I don't understand… why does it look like new?" Hulij-bpe muttered in confusion.

Setg'in looked at the armor for only a brief instant before he turned and looked at the only member of the house not puzzled by the state the armor was in.

"You did this… didn't you Lilith?" Setg'in asked slowly in a suspicious tone.

"She couldn't have done it! It would have taken her most of the night to polish all of this…" Guan began to protest as she looked back and forth between the armor, and the ooman. Then she thought about where she had found the pup, and how tired the pup seemed to be this morning. She lowered her head as she looked at the ooman pup in a newfound suspicion.

"Little One… did you polish that armor last night?" Guan asked softly.

When she saw the female nod her head hesitantly while detecting a slight tang of fear, Guan stepped over to the little female and knelt down before pulling the ooman into an embrace. "You spent most of the night on that; didn't you?"

Lilith nodded her head once more, and suddenly remembered the lecture she'd gotten about armor and weapons the night before, and how she wasn't supposed to touch them without permission. She suddenly realized that she was about to be in serious trouble for doing it. She'd only done it as a way of showing her thanks for the room, clothing, and even the food that these Predators had given her, but now, she realized that they might not see it that way.

"That thing polished your armor to look like this?" The technician blurted in surprise as he gestured at the mask in his hand.

"Lilith is not a '_thing_'! She is an ooman pup who has earned a place in our family!" Hulij-bpe protested as he bristled in anger.

"I've never seen an ooman before, so I couldn't say _what_ she is or isn't, but I can tell you that if she can make used armor look this good, that I know of _many_Elders who would pay _very_ highly for such a service!" The technician retorted as he connected a diagnostic computer to the mask.

Guan pulled Lilith closer to her and stroked the pups arms lightly as she glanced up at the specialist before turning her attention back to the pup in her arms. "Whether Lilith is willing to polish the armor of another or not, isn't the question right now. It's obvious after watching her the night before last; that polishing all of our armor had to have taken most of the night. I want to know if she managed to get enough rest."

Lilith was sure that she was now in some serious trouble, and she looked up in near terror when Celtic started laughing loudly.

"Freshly calibrated armor that looks like new? Everyone attending the clan hunt is going to be very jealous!" Hulij-bpe exclaimed smugly.

"Of _both_ of us!" Nihkou'te added in with a smirk.

"Thank you Lilith. I'm not sure why you did this for us, but it is truly a noble gift, and one that we appreciate. Now tell me, did you sleep well enough last night?" Guan said softly.

Lilith nodded her head in confusion. She was certain that everyone would have been pissed at her for messing with their armor without permission. Then she figured that the only reason the Predators weren't pissed at her, was because she must have done a good job on it.

Guan pulled the ooman into her arms and stood up. She supported the pup with her left arm, while she took her right, and tried to get the little female to lay her head down on her shoulder. "Just sleep now Little One, after last night's events, you have earned your right to rest." She said before beginning a nearly silent purr that she could only hope would offer some comfort to the ooman pup.

Lilith had to admit that she was still sleepy. She had worked hard on all the pieces of armor that had been laid out. She had scrubbed until her hand was too tired to do it anymore, so she'd switched hands and repeated the process until the strange orange sun was close to shinning through the windows. She let Gwen push her head down until she was resting her head on the Predator's shoulder. She yawned sleepily and was silently glad that no one was angry at her for messing with their armor.

Lilith felt like she was a tiny little girl again. She was being held with one arm while laying against the _very_ warm body of a Predator who was twice her height. The size difference made her feel like she was around four years old while being safe in the arms of someone who actually cared about her. Then, there was that soft purr that Gwen was making. Both factors combined in her subconscious mind to make her feel safe. She wasn't even thinking about what she was doing as she draped her arms on the Predator's shoulders and slid into dreamland.

Lilith wasn't sure how long she'd slept in Gwen's arms, but when she did wake up; she lifted her head and shook it in total confusion.

The dream was… well… _weird_! Lilith had known that she was dreaming, but this… this wasn't a nightmare, or even a memory from her time in the basement. Instead, she was at a picnic. She was there in the new clothes that Gwen had gotten for her, and so were the rest of the Predators. She had been playing fetch with Slobber, while Scar, Celtic, and Rave threw a disk full of blades back and forth while using it to play catch. Old Bruce was Bar-B-Queuing, and Gwen was setting up a table full of other food.

Lilith had a confused look on her face as she thought about that weird dream before she raised her head and looked around. She saw the strange Predator messing with one of those wrist things that had a computer in it, and that everyone else was watching him closely.

"There!" The technician said in a satisfied tone. "That's the last of it. I must say, I've never had the pleasure of working on armor that has been maintained so well. My advice would be to keep a close watch on that ooman. There will be a great many who would want such skills for their own use."

"I watch over _all_ of my family _very_ carefully." Guan replied in a dangerous tone to let the male know that _she_ would be the one to deal with should anything happen to Lilith.

"Trying to find one of us who _won't_ be looking after her might prove impossible." Setg'in said clearly. "Besides, anyone who does anything to her can be immediately executed as a Bad Blood, because she's still a pup."

"I'll make certain that I'm the first one they would have to face if anyone is honorless enough to try anything against her." Hulij-bpe snapped.

Setg'in stepped over and placed his hand on his large brother's shoulder. "Be careful if it does happen Brother. Remember, mother nearly went in to a Bearer's Rage over _looks_ that were directed at Lilith. I don't want to think of what might happen to you if you were to get in the way of that." He warned seriously while looking straight at the technician.

"My apologies. I meant no offense. I was simply trying to warn you that others might not care that the ooman is only a pup, and will try to claim her for themselves." The technician said as he bowed his head in sincerity.

"Your apology is accepted, and the warning is appreciated. Lilith is in our care, and we intend to see that such remains the case." Kwei replied easily as he watched the technician gather his tools and equipment.

"I just realized something." Setg'in said with a smirk.

"What's that?" Nihkou'te asked curiously.

"No one can be challenged for anything acquired during a Chiva! That's when we found Lilith, and no one on the ship can deny that the only oomans to be found were those already inside the Temple of Passage. So that means no one can issue a challenge for possession of her." Setg'in explained smugly.

"That would not be a smart thing to do, Setg'in, the moment you make that claim, it would be taken to a Tribunal of Arbitrators, and they would _not_ be happy to have their time repeatedly wasted in such a fashion!" Kwei snapped in an irritated tone.

"You're right. I'll have to think of something else then." Setg'in replied in annoyance.

"You do that. In the meantime, there are a few things that your mother and I will also try." Kwei told him as he watched the technician leave.

While the four males began to happily examine their freshly polished and calibrated armor, Guan turned her attention to the ooman pup in her arms. "Kwei and I will be in meetings with our Clan Elders for much of today, while Nihkou'te and Hulij-bpe will be fulfilling our obligations to the Clan by hunting large meat animals. Therefore, you and Bakuub will be spending the day with Setg'in since he'll only be killing some tunnel runners. It won't be very dangerous since Bakuub will be with you, and she's bred for such things. So if there's something in your room that you'd like to take along for something to do while Setg'in hunts the tunnel runners, then go and get it."

Lilith nodded her head emphatically. As nice as her new clothes were, there was no way that she wanted to get them covered in the blood and guts of a bunch of animals. She moved to get down, and as soon as she was placed on the floor, she darted to her room, and saw her clothes stacked by the door; she grabbed them and went in to change. A few short moments later, she came out dressed in the clothes she'd taken from her mother's closet, and a stuffed _what-ever-it-was_ critter tucked under her left arm. Lilith started to go over to where Scar was standing and looking at his armor when she was stopped by a sharp demand from Gwen.

"Where is the symbol of our Clan?" Guan demanded in a sharp tone while looking straight at Lilith.

The ooman pup looked at her in confusion, and Guan decided to elaborate. "The disk of metal attached to a chain that Setg'in gave you yesterday; where is it?" She snapped firmly.

Lilith pointed back to her room while she tried to figure out what she had done wrong now. That necklace was the only piece of jewelry she had, and it had been given to her just the day before. There was no way she was going to let it get messed up. She clearly remembered the jewelry she'd had before she was locked and chained in the basement. Rings, bracelets, earrings, and necklaces were things that she'd enjoyed wearing, but her parents had gotten rid of all of her things. She remembered looking for them a few days earlier when she'd finally escaped from the basement, but her room had been made in to a room for the dog that her parents had gotten. Nothing of hers had been left anywhere in the house. Now, she finally had one piece of jewelry that was nice and that she could wear, and she didn't want anything to happen to it.

"Go get it, and bring it here." Guan instructed simply. She could smell fresh apprehension on the pup, and had a feeling that Lilith either didn't want the necklace damaged, or didn't like it. When Lilith returned with the chain and attached pendant, Guan took it and wrapped both of her hands around the chain as if she were going to place it around Lilith's neck.

Lilith's eyes bulged and she gave a loud gasp of dismay when Gwen suddenly snapped her hands apart like she was trying to break the necklace. Then, a mix of confusion and relief flooded her mind as the chain only hummed from the sudden tension that had been applied.

"The chain and medallion are made of heat metal. They are very strong, and can't be easily broken. The only thing you'll need to be careful of is making sure that it doesn't catch on anything, because your neck would break long before the chain will. The symbol of our Clan is carved into the disk so that everyone can see which Clan you are affiliated with. I want you to wear it at _all times_ when ever you leave this house. If you don't like to wear it, I can understand, but this medallion will help keep you safe. So anytime you go outside, it doesn't matter who is with you, or if you are by yourself for some reason, you must _always_ wear this, understand?" Guan explained carefully.

Lilith nodded her head and reached out, took the necklace, put it on, and tucked the pendant inside her shirt.

Guan shook her head and knelt down to face the little female on her level. "No Lilith." She said firmly as she pulled the disk back out to rest just beneath the hollow of the ooman's collarbones. "You must _always_ wear it so that it can be seen! It serves no purpose if no one can see it. There are those among us who don't like oomans, and they will not be pleased to see you living here. This medal will tell them that they aren't allowed to harm you, but they won't know that unless they can see it."

Lilith nodded her head nervously. She knew that these Predators were a lot stronger than she was, and that they could hurt her all too easily. Pain was something she'd had to endure since she first started living in the basement, and she wasn't actually used to being without it. The strange thing about being here was that these Predators seemed to be doing a lot to make sure that she wasn't in pain. Now, Gwen was doing something else to make sure that she wouldn't get hurt. Lilith couldn't understand why the Predators were doing all of these things for her, but she knew that when they found out the truth, that she would suffer like she never had before.

Guan stood up and stepped back to appraise the female's appearance. She had to admit to a strange mixture of both happiness and displeasure as she studied the pup. She wasn't at all pleased about the over sized and ill fitting clothing that Lilith was once again wearing, but at the same time, she was pleased that Lilith seemed to appreciate the new clothing enough that the ooman pup didn't want to get it soiled. That thought caused her to realize that Lilith was attempting to take care of the items that they'd given to her. The sudden understanding that the tiny female appeared to appreciate what had been given to her, told Guan that Lilith was at least _trying_ to adjust to living with her new family. Guan could only pray to Paya, that Lilith would continue to make progress in that regard.

"I want you to go with Setg'in now. He and Bakuub will watch over you while Kwei and I are stuck in meetings today. If Setg'in tells you to do something, it will be because he's trying to keep you safe, and I want you to listen to him, and obey." Guan told Lilith firmly.

Lilith made a _very_ sour face, because she just _knew_ that Scar was going to start in on her about nearly _everything_!

"Setg'in… I want you to listen to me _very_ carefully." Guan instructed her son in a tone that wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. "Lilith has _several_ ways of making her displeasure known. There are even some that you do not want to experience…"

"I know. She's already struck me in the genitals." Setg'in growled sourly.

"It was a _really_ solid strike too!" Hulij-bpe exclaimed with an enthusiastic snicker.

"Then you already know that she can be very difficult when she feels she has a reason to be. Therefore, I don't want you trying to give her unnecessary commands. She may not choose to speak yet, but I'm sure that she will come up with a way to let me know if you try to use too much authority. One more thing you should be aware of… our air is much different from that of her world, so there are times when you will need to carry her. If you try to do so in a way that is demeaning or humiliating to her then she will resist and you won't like the results. I've learned from experience that she will try to continue for as long as she can. I want you to let her do so. She needs to exercise to help her adjust to our atmosphere. The more she walks, and does, the sooner she'll adapt. I want you to keep a watchful eye on her though, and if you think she's done too much, _ask_ her if she's ready to be carried. Lilith is tenacious to the point of almost being stubborn, and I know that she still has a great deal of pride. I want her to keep those qualities, because they will serve her well. Do _not_ try to humiliate her! Do I make myself understood?" Guan clarified sternly.

"Absolutely! You don't have to worry about this day Mother; I will take proper care of Lilith while we are away. She will return safe and sound and I don't think she'll have any complaints." Setg'in stated easily.

As they walked to where ever it was that they were going, Lilith learned that she had to keep a sharp eye on Slobber. The great big beast would often turn and swipe that long wet dripping tongue right across her face for no reason. It was something that annoyed her to no end, but at the same time, she could tell that Slobber was being _really_ protective of her! Lilith had figured out that every time they'd pass one of the Predators, Slobber would bare her teeth growl like a pissed off demon until they got some distance away from her. Then, as soon as they were away from the Predator, Slobber would lick her right across the face. It was something that surprised her more than a little, because she'd only met the huge beast two days ago. She wasn't ready to argue about _why_ Slobber seemed to like her, she just glad that the Yaut Hound did for some reason.

Even though he was leading the way, Setg'in was still observing the behavior of both Lilith, and Bakuub as they headed towards the shop where he'd have to try to get rid of the tunnel runners. He noticed that Bakuub was meticulous in her protection of the ooman pup, and he was very glad to see that. It meant that anyone who did issue a challenge for possession of the ooman would have to deal with the combat trained, and very deadly Yaut Hound, in addition to him. Suddenly, Setg'in smirked deviously as he thought of the perfect way to avoid any type of challenge. The funny part of the idea was that it was completely true.

Setg'in watched in silence as Lilith swiveled her head in every direction possible as she looked around and took in the sights of his world. She looked at each of the hunter's they passed with what he was sure was avid curiosity.

Lilith was actually enjoying the walk for a change. Scar wasn't walking anywhere nearly as fast as Guan did when going somewhere, and she wasn't being forced to hold Scar's hand like a little baby. She was completely free to look around and see everything, and that was why she was able to enjoy this outing as much as she was. The strange Mayan or Aztec looking pyramids were scattered everywhere, but all in ordered rows. Some were as tall as seven floors, but even the shortest had three. She saw that there were still no streets or sidewalks, and no kind of cars either. It was the kind of thing that really made her wonder about these Predators, because she _knew_ they had better stuff than Earth did, or they wouldn't have been able to send a spaceship to Earth in the first place.

'_You'd think they would at least have stuff like those air cars from Star Wars or Fifth Element. They don't just walk everywhere… do they?'_ Lilith wondered as she looked around.

Suddenly, Lilith's attention was drawn to a wonderfully sweet smell that she just couldn't get enough of. She looked around and quickly spotted the source; it was a bunch of strange looking flowers that were growing off to one side of the trail. She smiled brightly and darted over to them. Their scent was like a mix of lemons and roses, and she didn't even _try_ to resist as she closed her eyes, and stuck her nose in them and inhaled deeply. The smell was heavenly, and it had been so long since Lilith had even _seen_ a flower that she was completely lost in her own little world as she dwelled in that wonderful aroma.

Lilith's eyes snapped open at the sound of a very angry growl coming from somewhere above her. Thinking that Scar was the one who was growling at her, she opened her eyes with a glare upwards and froze at the sight of an apparently angry Predator woman she hadn't seen before.

"My apologies Honored Warrior, the ooman hasn't been on our world for very long, and she's very inquisitive about things." Setg'in said as he walked up from the short distance he'd gotten ahead.

"You should teach it some manners, or if you can't, I'd be happy to challenge you for possession of it." The woman snarled angrily.

"That would not be a wise decision, because I am not the one who has claimed the ooman pup." Setg'in replied quickly but in a soft respectful tone.

"Then who has, I'll be _glad_ to show them how to beat some sense into such a creature."

"Guan-Kv'var-de and her Lifemate have claimed this pup." Setg'in answered warily.

Setg'in knew this female was angry, because he could smell the rage on her, and he knew that he had little to no chance against her if it came down to a fight.

"If they have claimed this ooman, then what are _you_ doing with it, and how do I find these two to challenge them?"

"They are both in meetings with the Clan's Elders. Because of that, they have placed the pup with me for the time being, but they have also sent their Yaut Hound along to watch over the pup." Setg'in answered quickly.

"Which Clan are they in, and how do I find them?" The female again demanded in a snarl.

"They are of The Burning Mountain Clan. They shouldn't be too hard to find, since both are Elders within that Clan." Setg'in answered plainly.

Suddenly the female's angry growls were more than matched by those of the large Yaut Hound who now stood next to the female pup.

"Bakuub, be silent!" Setg'in snapped, having _deliberately_ given a command that while apparently cooperative, was actually one that would cause the Yaut Hound to growl at him instead. He had known what Bakuub's response would be as soon as he gave the order, but what he _wasn't_ prepared for was Lilith's reaction to Bakuub's growl. Suddenly, Setg'in was _very_ glad that he was wearing his mask, because it hid the wide grin on his face while he choked on his own laughter after Lilith directed another of those _incredibly_ disgusting noises at him. Although he had no idea that Lilith called the noise a 'Raspberry', he was certainly glad that she had used that exact moment to make it towards him, because it would make him appear to have no control over Bakuub's actions, while making it seem as if Lilith_did_. Setg'in knew that it wouldn't actually be a lie, because he had absolutely no control over the thoughts of another, and it wouldn't be _his_ fault if someone had failed to learn one of the most important lessons about oomans, in that appearances were almost _always_ deceiving!

When she heard Scar tell Slobber to be quiet, and the great big drool machine only growled at him for it, Lilith couldn't help but have a bit of fun and rub it in by giving him a Raspberry, before flashing a smirk at him. Then, just to see if she could, she petted Slobber on her head.

"Insolent insect! I'll teach you to show respect to your betters!" The female bellowed as she took an angry step towards the ooman.

Lilith heard the threat, and didn't even hesitate as she dove under Slobber's belly and tried to hide under the huge beast.

Setg'in stepped back in total surprise when he saw what was happening in front of him. He wasn't at all surprised to see the large and angry female step back as well, because what they were _both_ seeing was an enraged Yaut Hound _crouching_ protectively over an ooman while letting out a growl that was full of deadly intent and warning.

"That… that's not supposed to be possible; Yaut Hounds normally kill _anything_ that tries to get beneath them except for their own pups!" The female exclaimed in confusion.

"That's probably why Guan-kv'var-de sent Bakuub with her. She did state that the Yaut Hound would be very protective of the pup." Setg'in said in a puzzled tone.

Setg'in would have been the first to admit that Lilith had entered the grounds of a stranger without permission, but then, he would also have to admit that this female had severely over reacted after having been provided with both an explanation and an apology. He wasn't sure why this female was as angry as she was, but it could certainly prove to be an issue if this confrontation continued for much longer. What he wanted right now was for Lilith to be safe, and while he knew that she was safer than anywhere else in her current location, getting her out of that predicament might be fatal to her.

"Why do you keep referring to it as a pup?" The female suddenly demanded with her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Because she _is_ just a pup. That can be determined by her small size."

Setg'in watched as the female took a deep breath and shake her head as if to clear it, before she spoke again.

"You say it's been claimed by a pair of Lifemated Elders? A single Elder would be a worthy challenge, but in order to challenge for possession, I'd have to fight_both_ of them simultaneously, and that's not even counting that Yaut Hound standing over it. That isn't a challenge… it's suicide!" The female grunted irritably. "Take the ooman and be gone with it…" She ordered. "and do _not_ damage my plants! It has not been easy to get them to grow in that spot."

"As you say Honored Warrior, although, I will say that the ooman pup was only admiring their scent which is quite appealing." He stated in a respectful tone.

Setg'in watched in silence as the female only grunted before turning away and going back into her home. As soon as the female was gone, he let out a sigh of relief, and turned his attention to Lilith who was still safely tucked away beneath the large Yaut Hound.

"Lilith, when I tell you to, I want you to be cautious in coming out from under Bakuub. Who ever she is, she was right about one thing… Yaut Hounds typically kill _anything_ except their own pups that try to get under them, since that is their only real vulnerability." Setg'in warned seriously before looking at the Yaut Hound.

"Easy Bakuub. Come here." Setg'in said softly this time giving the Yaut Hound the proper command.

Setg'in's surprise couldn't have been greater when Bakuub merely bared her teeth at him in a silent snarl before craning her head around and licking the ooman pup huddled underneath her. Beneath his mask, his mandibles dropped in shock as he stared with disbelieving eyes at something that, as far as he knew, was simply_not_ possible!

Lilith looked up at Scar from her position under Slobber's belly. She would have laughed if she had known what was going through his mind at that moment. Instead, she reached up and scratched at Slobber's belly, and snickered as the big critter got even lower, and started up with that soft deep-throated purring sound. Lilith snickered again before she pushed up with a solid steady hand, and crawled out when Slobber stood up. Getting to her feet, she scratched near the base of one of the spikes, before holding out a hand for Scar to lead the way.

Setg'in couldn't believe what he was seeing. How was Lilith able to get beneath Bakuub in such a fashion without _any_ consequences? He didn't know the answer to that, but he did have to admit that he was very glad she could. Being able to get into a place where no one could even get _close_ to her gave Lilith a measure of safety that he would be hard pressed to match.

"Lilith, I… I need you to listen to me very carefully." Setg'in said kneeling in front of the ooman. "Bakuub clearly likes you a lot. If she didn't, she would have killed you for even _trying_ to get near her stomach. Some of the less intelligent ones have been known to kill their own offspring just for trying to nurse. I will say that what you did was very smart though. But you should _never_ underestimate me." Setg'in said firmly.

Setg'in reached over and began petting the large Yaut Hound who began purring deeply. "Bakuub, be silent!"

Instantly, the Yaut Hound was growling at him with bared teeth, and Setg'in smiled beneath his mask. "That is a common command for a Yaut Hound, but mother trained Bakuub differently. For Bakuub, it means for her to growl and snarl at the one who gave that command. If it comes from someone she doesn't know, then she may well attack them. I think this was done because Bakuub was the one who sometimes watched over my brothers and I when we were young." He told her.

"Easy Bakuub." Setg'in didn't have to point out that Bakuub had relaxed, because the female pup noticed it right away. "You see, Lilith? Things are rarely what they seem. I may be small by most Yautja standards, but I have also been given the intelligence to make up for my small stature. A good lesson for you to learn is that things are not always as they appear."

Lilith heard Scar's little lecture, and shook her head at him. Then, Lilith smiled widely as she quickly ducked back under Slobber's belly and started scratching the big beast's stomach. She'd learned during the first night that she'd met the creature, that Slobber loved being scratched by her, and that it didn't really matter where, although there were some places that were preferred. The base of the spikes, underneath the jaw, and neck, behind the ears, and Slobber _really_ seemed to love the way Lilith could scratch her belly. It was something that just sort of happened. Lilith had been scratching Slobber while the beast was laying on her stomach. As Lilith got lower down the sides, Slobber stood up. Not feeling like getting up herself, Lilith had just kept on scratching the areas that she could reach while sitting. Soon enough, she found herself under Slobber's belly scratching the big beast and listening to a purr that was also a growl of pleasure. It had cracked Lilith up to know that she could scratch the big critter just right so that Slobber didn't know whether to purr, groan, or growl.

Setg'in shook his head in disbelief when he saw the little female get _back_ under the Yaut Hound's stomach without any problems. It wasn't until Lilith reemerged that he took a closer look at the tips of her fingers. That was when he realized that she didn't have the sharp claws of a Yautja, and that the blunt ends probably felt good to the Yaut Hound.

"Come on Lilith. I've got some tunnel runners to hunt down." Setg'in told her as he resumed leading the way.

After following Scar for a fair distance, Lilith was surprised to find them going into a Predator store of some kind. It was pretty weird actually. She could almost swear that it was an alien version of Sears, because it had almost everything. She watched in idle curiosity as Scar walked up to the shopkeeper to introduce himself.

"Greetings Warrior! I am Thwei-de-thei-de (Bloody Death) the owner of this shop. I have goods and merchandise from countless worlds and more than two dozen sentient races. What can I interest you in this day?" The Shopkeeper exclaimed pleasantly.

Lilith nearly laughed at how familiar that greeting was. There was a small 'Mom & Pop' burger joint that she'd used to go to with her parents, and the people who ran it had always said almost the same thing. It made her feel like this was almost normal, except that this was a Predator, and she was on the Predator's world.

'_I guess a store is still a store, no matter where it is.'_ Lilith thought ruefully.

"I am Setg'in, your brother told me yesterday that you might have a small problem with tunnel runners. He has already paid me to deal with them."

"A _small_ problem? _Might_? Honored Warrior… I will tell you now, that if I could hunt those vermin down I would, but I simply don't have the time, and apparently neither does my brother. I don't expect you to eliminate them, since I'm almost certain there are several hundred of those thieving vermin running around in here, but if you can reduce their numbers by a decent margin, I would be heavily in your debt." Thwei-de said dramatically as he rounded some of the aisles to walk up to Setg'in.

"Elder… I am no Honored Warrior." Setg'in admitted as he pulled off his mask. "I only passed my Chiva three days ago." He said as he tried to correct the shopkeeper.

"Just as good in my opinion! It means that you'll have the endurance, enthusiasm, and tenacity that can only come from youth. These tunnel runners are starting to drive my patrons to other shops and working alone, I'm no longer fast enough to keep up with their growing numbers." Thwei-de answered quickly as he approached but suddenly paused in midstep as he took note of Bakuub's presence.

"It seems that you've certainly come _well_ prepared for the job! I've rarely seen a Yaut Hound of that size. Most of them aren't nearly as well muscled as that one is. Tell me… do you think she'll be up to the task?" Thwei-de asked with a smile of admiration at the large Yaut Hound.

"My mother has raised Bakuub from a suckling pup long before I was birthed. Bakuub is combat trained and battle tested. My mother made certain of that since she did the training herself because she had planned for Bakuub to accompany her during her role as an Arbitrator…" Setg'in began.

"That beast was trained to assist an _Arbitrator_? No pauk-de wonder she's so well muscled! What exactly did my brother pay you to warrant such swift and skilled service?" Thwei-de exclaimed.

"I was given a chain and medallion of heat metal that's been engraved with the symbol of my Clan…" Setg'in began before he saw where the shopkeeper was looking.

Setg'in turned to see what the shopkeeper was looking at, certain that he already knew. Sure enough, Lilith was in plain sight looking at some of the wares that the shop had to offer. He noted with approval that Lilith wasn't touching anything, although she was leaning in closely for a good look at some of the stuff.

"What is _that_?" Thwei-de demanded crossly not wanting his goods damaged or touched unless a purchase was to be made.

"Her name is Lilith, and she is an ooman pup who's been claimed by my mother and her Lifemate. She's the reason I needed a wearable symbol of our Clan. She understands our language perfectly, even though she doesn't speak. So you won't have to worry about her disturbing any of your customers. One warning though, it seems that Bakuub is very fond of Lilith and she is quite protective of the ooman." Setg'in answered.

Thwei-de stepped closer as he looked at Lilith with appraising eyes. It was a gaze that could instantly determine the inherent value of an item, and what he could sell that item for. As he looked at the ooman, he noticed that she seemed to be somewhat small and possibly underfed. He also noticed the way the oversized coverings were draped over the small body, the nervous, and often apprehensive glances directed at him that contained more than a touch of anger. The ooman had a stuffed me'llit tucked under one arm. The strange hair just grazed the shoulders, and eyes glared at him from beneath that hair, but then there was the disk on the oomans chest that stood out because it had a much higher temperature than the ooman's body heat. A disk that proclaimed her to be the property of the Burning Mountain Clan.

"I see that she wears the payment you speak of. I would risk a guess and say that she was recently acquired." Thwei-de muttered thoughtfully. "I've heard much of oomans, although I've never seen one until now."

"There have been several hunters who've brought things from the ooman planet, and I have quite a large number of things that she'll be familiar with. Make no mistake; I do _not_ want her handling my wares, because some of the items are fragile and easily damaged. You will keep her under control, or she can be locked in a storage closet until you are done. I've lost enough merchandise to these thrice-blasted tunnel runners, and I do _not_ wish to lose any more, is that understood?" Thwei-de snapped firmly.

Setg'in was about to answer when his attention was drawn to Lilith who'd made a sharp whistle. He looked over to see her giving the shopkeeper a look that obviously contained pure death. She pointed at him, and then to her stuffed toy, before shaking her head and tucking the toy beneath her arms while glaring at the Warrior.

"I believe she said for you not to touch her stuffed me'llit. I agree. Though she has been here a very short time, Lilith has only twice handled things without permission. The first time was when I took a plate of food from her to make her slow down the speed at which she was eating. She took my brother's knife and used it to regain her food. It became a choice of holding on to the plate, and losing my hand, or letting go. She was corrected for that, and I know that she understands not to do so again. The second time she handled something without permission was last night." Setg'in explained before grinning widely.

"My parents, two older brothers, and myself had laid out our armor for the technician to tend to this morning. Without being asked, Lilith worked through most of the night to polish _all_ of it until it looks like new. I know all too well that there are oomans who have no concept of honor…" Setg'in said as he thought about those who had hurt the little female so horribly that she would no longer speak.

"But I can assure you that Lilith is not one of them. I know this from personal experience, because my oldest brother would not now be alive if such was not the case. Though she is still a mere pup, she is highly intelligent, and _extremely_ cunning. She is very easy to underestimate, because of her size and her unwillingness to speak, but it would be a serious mistake to do so. I have _seen_ her face the Hard Meat with a level of courage and a complete lack of fear that would even shame many Honored Ancients, because she was essentially unarmed at the time. I have watched her master her fears with a level of self discipline that some Elders might envy." Setg'in clarified quickly.

"I can give you a clear example of why she shouldn't be underestimated. Tell me; when have you ever seen a Yaut Hound allow something to get beneath them?" Setg'in demanded with a confident smirk.

Thwei-de saw that smug expression on the warrior in front of him, and knew that Setg'in felt he had the upper hand. The question though seemed to be a rather stupid one to ask, since everyone knew better than to try to get near the stomach of a Yaut Hound because they were all very protective of that vulnerable spot.

"Only the creature's own pups, and sometimes not even then." Thwei-de snapped suspiciously.

Lilith had been listening the entire time, and she knew what Scar was planning without being told. After what she'd been told earlier, she understood exactly how unusual it was for her to be able to do that, but she also knew that neither she nor Slobber had any problems with it. Lilith nearly snickered at how surprised this Predator was going to be


	13. Hunt Part 1

Lilith smirked as she stepped over in front of Slobber and blew in the Yaut Hound's face. She knew that Slobber wasn't exactly happy with that move, and the big beast snapped at her in irritation. She didn't let that bother her though, and she never hesitated as she dropped down and crawled between the Yaut Hound's front legs. Once she was under Slobber's belly, she turned around and saw that Slobber had craned her head down to watch her. Lilith poked the Yaut Hound lightly on the nose before scratching beneath the jaw with her left hand, while her right was scratching the beast's belly.

When Slobber let out a sound that told Lilith her scratching felt good, she stopped and scrambled back between the Yaut Hounds front legs to stand next to the beast's head. Slobber got her own little payback though, because that long wet tongue slid straight up the right side of Lilith's face, as the Yaut Hound snorted at the same time.

'_Oh shit! That's gross!'_ Lilith thought angrily as she started wiping the drool and nasal fluids off her face and wiping them on Slobber's neck. It took her a couple of minutes to get all of it off, and in the end, she still had to use the end of her shirt to wipe the rest off her face. She made a mental note to never blow in Slobber's face again, because the payback from that was _not_ a pleasant thing at all! She finished wiping her face and glanced up at Scar before looking over at the shopkeeper.

Lilith couldn't help but laugh when she saw the Predator's mandibles drooping and his jaw hanging open in surprise. Now she knew what they looked like when they were _really_ surprised.

Thwei-de-thei-de gaped at the ooman before looking over at the warrior she was with. His eyes narrowed when he realized that Setg'in wasn't at all surprised by the ooman's actions. "I see what you mean about it not being wise to underestimate the ooman. For that Yaut Hound to allow such a thing makes it clear that_something_ has occurred between them. You say that _this_ ooman actually has honor, and I must agree with you. If she did not, then there's no way she could have gained that much trust and friendship from a Yaut Hound…"

"Certainly not in less than three days." Setg'in interrupted.

"Three days? That ooman gained that kind of trust from a _Yaut Hound_ in less than three days?" Thwei-de exclaimed before going silent and staring at the ooman in a fresh appraisal.

Thwei-de wasn't stupid. He knew that Yaut Hounds were notorious about being fiercely loyal to a single owner, and that even other family members would often have trouble controlling them. For this ooman to have earned such trust from the Yaut Hound in so short a time said many things about the little ooman. The most serious being the warning he'd been given earlier. He could see that Setg'in was right; Bakuub would readily kill to defend anything that was trusted to such a degree. It was not a comforting thought, because he knew that oomans had vastly different views and values than the Yautja, so who could tell what the ooman might consider a threat? Unless he was willing to find out the hard way, there was no way of knowing the answer to that.

"That she's somehow earned the trust of the Yaut Hound is clear, but my question is… do _you_ trust her as well?" Thwei-de asked as he watched Setg'in closely to see what his reaction would be.

Lilith was watching Scar when the shopkeeper asked that question, and instead of answering, Scar took the plasma cannon off of his shoulder armor and handed it to her. Then he pointed out a small lever to her.

"That will fire it. If you want to use it, make sure it's pointing away from you." Setg'in said simply as he stepped forward in front of Lilith so that she was now looking at his back.

"Lilith, do remember how we met in the Temple of Passage? Think about how angry you got when I spanked you. Think about how I teased you about failing to escape me in the vents of our ship. Then there was the way I took your evening meal away from you because I thought you were eating too fast. I've just given you a fully charged plasma caster, and I've even shown you how to fire it. I want you to hold on to it for a while. Do _not_ let anyone else have it!"

Lilith saw the way the shopkeeper was looking back and forth between her and Scar. The Predator even stepped away from Scar to make sure he wouldn't get hit if she decided to shoot him with the weird space gun. The thing was heavy, and she couldn't help but wonder why Scar was bringing all that stuff up. She knew that Scar had been scolded by Gwen for taking her plate away from her, so she didn't understand why he'd brought that up. Then, there was the way he'd teased her after she was forced out of the vents on the ship, she almost snickered vindictively as she remembered the tormented groan Scar had let out after getting racked a good one. The spanking though was different. Being honest with herself, she knew that she'd earned that spanking by flipping Scar off when he hadn't actually done anything to her. Anyway she looked at the things Scar had brought up, none of it really made any sense, because all of it had been settled one way or another. She looked down at the heavy space gun before setting it on the floor. Suddenly, she was picking it back up while wondering if Scar didn't want her to trust the strange shopkeeper, and he'd given her this space gun to make sure nothing happened to him.

Lilith eyed the shopkeeper warily, and saw that he was watching her _very_ intently. _'Why the hell would Scar give me his gun, when I know he can use it better than I can? If they start fighting, I'd probably end up hitting him instead of this other Predator.'_ She thought angrily.

Suddenly, everything came together in her mind, and she realized that Scar wasn't about to fight this other Predator. _'That's why he gave me his gun, showed me how to use it, and brought all that crap up! He's proving how much he trusts me… but… how can he trust me like that? He doesn't even know me, and the first time I saw him I was flipping him off. He spanked me for that, even though he was there to kill everyone, he spanked me for flipping him off. I still need to get him back for that.'_

Although Lilith wasn't sure exactly how she was going to get back at Scar for busting her butt like that, she wasn't about to kill him for it. She stepped up next to him and elbowed his leg lightly. When he turned and bent down to retrieve his weapon, Lilith stuck her tongue out at him and gave him a raspberry to show him what she thought of his little demonstration. That was when she understood that this had all happened because the shopkeeper didn't trust her, and didn't really want her here.

Setg'in took his plasma caster and mounted it back on his shoulder where it belonged. Then he saw that Lilith had her arm cocked and was ready to throw her stuffed me'llit at Thwei-de.

"Lilith, _don't_! Do _not_ throw that at him, and I mean it!" Setg'in warned sternly.

"Ha! As if a mere toy could was capable of causing any harm." Thwei-de scoffed.

"The toy by itself… no. The toy is harmless, but Bakuub isn't. Bakuub will lunge after it if she throws it. And if Lilith throws it at you, Bakuub _will_ run you over to get to it! I learned that yesterday, after getting run over twice by my own Yaut Hound. It happened so fast, I had to ask what had hit me, because I didn't have time to see what it was." Setg'in said as he moved in front of the shopkeeper.

"I don't think she's very happy with having her honor questioned." Setg'in added.

Thwei-de looked over at the young hunter, and realized that he'd made a very good point. Questioning someone's honor could _easily_ result in a fight to the death, so it wasn't any wonder that the ooman wasn't pleased. Thinking about that made him realize that the ooman wasn't as unarmed as she appeared. Even though she only had a pup's toy, that toy was a trigger for a potentially deadly attack by the large Yaut Hound. That was when Thwei-de understood exactly why oomans had always been favored prey. If a mere pup of an ooman could be that cunning and intelligent, how dangerous could an adult ooman be?

Lilith stepped slightly to her left and watched the strange Predator as he stared at her in silence. She still had her right arm cocked to throw the stuffed thing-a-doodle at the Predator, but she could see that Scar would get in the way if she did throw it. She saw Slobber out of the corner of her eye, and knew that the great big beast was just waiting for her to throw the stuffed critter so she could chase it down. She was seriously considering throwing the thing at the Predator anyway, when something darted from behind her.

Lilith didn't take the time to see what it was, because _whatever_ it was, it was ugly! She let out a startled shriek of surprise and instinctively used the only thing she had as a weapon; the stuffed critter. She swung the stuffed thing as hard and fast as she could, but knew that she'd miss hitting it even before she did. Even before her wild swing missed the strange ugly thing, Lilith was kicking at it. The toe of her right boot connected solidly even as the toy missed. She hadn't been able to put a lot of power behind her kick, but it was enough to knock that thing away from her.

It had also been enough to cause the over sized boot to shift on her foot, jamming several of her toes, and that hurt like hell. Even as she almost cried out from the sudden and unexpected pain in her right foot and began to fall to her knees, she saw Slobber dart after the thing with a growl that was louder than a hot rod engine. She caught herself with her hands and looked over to see that Slobber had killed what ever that ugly bugger had been.

Lilith gasped for a second before she was pulling her boot off to see how bad she was hurt. As soon as she had taken the boot off, Slobber was pushing against her shoulder with her nose and making that deep sounding purr. Lilith looked over her left shoulder at the big beast, and was instantly licked across the side of her face. She wiped her face on her shoulder, and tried to rub the ache out of her toes.

Setg'in watched Lilith in concern. He had told his mother that he would return the pup safe and sound when the hunt was over. He hadn't even gotten started, and the ooman pup was already in pain. He shook his head to let the shopkeeper know to stay out of the situation. With Bakuub hovering over Lilith so protectively, there was a chance that the Yaut Hound just might attack either of them to defend the ooman pup. When Lilith pulled her boot back on and climbed to her feet with an angry huff and an expression that did _not_ bode well, Setg'in took a step back.

Lilith pointed at the spear strapped to Scar's leg and gave a 'come here' motion with her fingers. Although she had no clue what that damned thing had been, she wasn't about to let any more get near her without having something to fight back with.

Setg'in knew immediately what the pup wanted from him, and there was no way that he was going to hand her his spear. "No Lilith. _I'm_ the one who's supposed to kill the tunnel runners; _not_ you!"

Lilith shook her head and angrily pointed her right thumb at her chest while glaring at Scar. If _that_ was a tunnel runner, then she was going to make _sure_ that she had some way to kill them. Everything she'd been through, all the hell that she'd lived and suffered through for the past four years came broiling to the surface, and it was time for some major payback!

"It seems that she doesn't like the tunnel runners any more than I do. I don't care which of you kills them, or how it's done, as long as their population gets under control so I can keep them that way! The fact that these tunnel runners are numerous enough to run right past the ooman should be proof enough that they are beyond the control of any individual." Thwei-de said disgustedly.

Lilith pointed to the shopkeeper with her left hand, glaring at Scar with a determined look on her face, while beckoning for him to hand her the spear with her right hand.

"Just because he doesn't care if you hunt the tunnel runners or not means nothing. You don't have a weapon to kill them with, and I'm _not_ going to let you use one of mine."

"Hurgh!" Lilith growled angrily and turned her head to look anywhere except at Scar. As her angry gaze slid around the store, she found her eyes moving back to one particular shelf. Her entire focus narrowed in on one specific box that turned out to have writing she could read. A malicious grin crept across her face as she realized what she could do with the contents. She turned to the shopkeeper and motioned for him to follow her as she stepped over to the shelf. Looking up at the Predator questioningly, she pointed to herself, then to the box on the shelf, before pointing over at the dead and mangled tunnel runner.

Thwei-de looked at the ooman for a moment as he thought about what he'd been told about her. He was fairly sure that the ooman was asking if she could use something in his shop against the tunnel runners. He knew that he didn't have any weapons in his shop, at least he was fairly certain of that, because any type of weapon was always considered an excellent trophy, and therefore was never sold. The thing was, he had often heard how cunning, and devious oomans could be, and he had to admit that he'd seen an excellent example of that cunning. That was when it struck him. _'If this ooman can improvise well enough to use a stuffed toy as a deadly weapon, what could she do with some of the things in here that she might be familiar with?'_ Thwei-de nearly grinned as he thought about the nearly blatant challenge the ooman had issued to the warrior she was with, and the thought of these two competing to kill the tunnel runners was _very_ appealing to him.

"Are you asking if you may use that against the tunnel runners?" Thwei-de asked the ooman to make sure he understood her motions.

Lilith nodded her head and grinned even wider as she shot the shopkeeper a thumbs-up with her right hand.

Thwei-de reached out and took the indicated object off the shelf. The weight was miniscule, and it was a rectangular object not quite as long as his arm. He had no idea how the ooman could use it against the tunnel runners, but if she could use a toy as a weapon, then perhaps she could use this as well.

"Listen to me well, Little Ooman. If there is something in my shop that you can use against the tunnel runners, then you may use it… _provided_ that you show _me_how to use it in the same way. Is that agreed?" Thwei-de demanded sternly as he handed the strange looking object over.

Lilith smiled brightly and nodded her head. Then she took the box and promptly opened one end of it. The first thing she pulled out of the box was a stand that was made to fall over with the slightest impact, but was built very sturdy. The second thing she pulled out was a large leather glove with webbed straps of leather between the thumb and index finger. She laid the glove aside and pulled out the ball that came with the set. Then her entire face lit up as she finally pulled out the object she sought. Made of thirty two inches of solid ash, the Louisville Slugger was exactly what she wanted. Okay, so she wasn't really into base ball, and wasn't much good at it either, so the T-Ball set wouldn't do her any good on that score, but for smacking those tunnel runners… yeah, a baseball bat was _exactly_ what the coach had ordered!

"Show me how those are _supposed_ to be used first!" Thwei-de demanded.

Lilith shrugged and set up the stand so that it would hold the ball at waist height on her. Then she put the ball on the stand and grabbed the bat. A few slow motion practice swings were made to show what was supposed to be done. Then she put the glove on and tossed the ball in the air before catching the ball in the glove. She handed the glove to Thwei-de and pointed at a spot across the store, before grabbing the bat and getting ready to hit the ball.

Lilith started to hit the ball pretty hard when she noticed Slobber watching her. That was when she realized that if she _did_ hit the ball anywhere Slobber would catch it and drool all over it. That would probably piss the shopkeeper off, and then she'd be in trouble. She sighed in disgust before pointing at Slobber and then the ball.

"I believe you were going to hit that sphere, weren't you?" Thwei-de asked curiously.

Lilith nodded and pointed at Slobber before shaking her head.

"I take it this isn't something done inside, _or_ with a Yaut Hound present, is it?" Thwei-de asked with a laugh.

Lilith actually burst out laughing at that. _'Yeah, not unless you want a ton of broken windows and everything else!'_ She thought with a shake of her head.

"Given the size and shape of that, it's obvious how you intend to use it. The question is, are you any good with it?" Thwei-de asked with a smirk.

Lilith shrugged her shoulders, cocked the bat, and started walking as silently as she could around the weird little shop as she looked for more of the ugly looking things. She saw Slobber walking beside her, and realized that she'd only have to hold the things up long enough for those _huge_ teeth to have a chance to bite down on them.

Setg'in wasn't at all pleased with this turn of events. He'd been instructed to keep Lilith from harm, but there was very little he could do if she was actively hunting. It was fortunate that Bakuub was trailing after the little pup, because he knew that she would be right there to assist the ooman if she ran into something she couldn't handle alone. This was turning out to be Lilith's first hunt since her arrival, and possibly even the first of her life. What worried him was that this pup was still half starved, _very_ malnourished, and underweight. Then there were the facts that she had no muscular development, no endurance, and she hadn't had the proper time to acclimate to the lower oxygen content of this planet's atmosphere. In short, even against the nearly harmless vermin she was now after, Lilith was putting her life at risk. It was something he couldn't allow, but at the same time, he was also powerless to stop it.

Setg'in knew that a pup's first hunt was supposed to be supervised by the pup's mother, and _that_ was only to take place after at least _some_ type of training. The problem was that Lilith was ooman, and not only was her mother not present, but he had no idea if Lilith had ever had any training with a weapon or not. Any which way he looked at this particular situation, it wasn't good at all. If he tried to stop Lilith from going after the tunnel runners, then the shopkeeper might well raise an issue. Then there was the very likely possibility that Lilith would ignore him and continue her spur of the moment hunt anyway. He was certain that his mother was going to be very angry about this, and that would happen even if Lilith emerged completely victorious and unharmed.

Setg'in decided to do the only thing he could at this point, and that was to follow Lilith, and make certain that she didn't end up attempting a task she couldn't survive to complete. Although he was no Elder, or even an Honored Warrior to guide Lilith on her first hunt, Setg'in fully intended to do the best he could to study Lilith's methods and techniques so that he could illustrate any mistakes to her later.

Lilith wasn't at all happy with the thing that ran past her feet. It had scared the crap out of her, and now she _really_ wanted to get them back for doing that to her. She didn't get a chance to get a decent look at the one that had scared her, because Slobber had literally shredded the thing. What she did know about the tunnel runners is that the one she'd seen was about the size of a blue heeler dog in the body with a tail about twice that long. She had the impression that it had been covered in scales like a snake, but otherwise looked like a giant rat. She hadn't even had to put up with those in the basement, and there was no way she was going to put up with them now.

A blur of motion ahead caught Lilith's attention, and she just knew that it was another of those things. She was about to go charging after it, when Slobber darted ahead of her. The big beast was just biting down on the critter, when a second one tried to run just in front of her. Lilith didn't hesitate as she brought the bat down with every ounce of strength she had. She was aiming for the creature's head, but hit it right in front of the shoulders instead. There was a loud wet crunch of snapping bones, and a squeal of agony as the creature collapsed.

Suddenly, Lilith was remembering her parents. How they had treated her, how they had hurt her, and how they had never stopped terrifying her, and she was slamming the baseball bat down on the creature again, and again. Each impact was accompanied by a wet crunch, and after the first half dozen swings, by the splattering gore of the creature's blood and intestines. When she finally stopped hitting the tunnel runner, the only recognizable part of it was the head which she had missed. Lilith didn't even give the carcass a second look as she stepped over the bloody mess to find more of them.

Lilith was breathing heavily as she moved past the thing she'd just killed. Even though that creature hadn't been either one of her parents, it had still felt so_damned_ good to finally vent her pent up emotions on something. She didn't care that her parents weren't here or that there was no way for them to hurt her anymore. What she did care about right then was that she was no longer chained naked to a wall in the basement, and no longer subject to the terrifying whims of parents who hated her. She was doing something that she wanted to do; something that she had _chosen_ to do. That was why a strange sort of half smile crossed her face as she began searching for more of those weird looking giant rats called tunnel runners.

Setg'in stopped and looked down at the mangled and pulverized carcass of the tunnel runner in front of him. He knew that something was wrong with Lilith, because of the scent she was giving off. Anger, stress, fear, desperation, and even some level of despair were all mixed up in Lilith's scent along with a few other things that he couldn't determine. The dead tunnel runner in front of him was the first confirmed kill that Lilith had made. His mandibles flexed in a smile as he thought about what his oldest brother had done with his first kill. He glanced up at the departing ooman pup who was moving almost as silently as she had when she'd saved Al-Nihkou'te's life. He would have thought it strange that Lilith had simply ignored the chance to take a trophy from her first kill, but then he realized that she had no game bag to put it in. Setg'in let out a soft chuckle at an idea before he bent down to retrieve the head of the dead tunnel runner.

Lilith _knew_ that one of those things was under the rack in front of her, and she knew that it couldn't get away either. With her on one side, and Slobber on the other, there was no where for the thing to run. Then, Lilith got a rather strange urge, and she decided to give it a shot. She started whistling like she was trying to call a dog.

Lilith wasn't sure who was more surprised, her, or the tunnel runner. When the creature responded to the sound and popped it's head out from under the rack, she brought the bat down hard even as her eyes were going wider in surprise. There was a satisfying crunch as the bat crushed the skull of the creature. Lilith used the end of the bat to nudge the thing out from under the rack. It was a leaky bloody mess, and she didn't want to get that crud on her.

Now, Lilith was able to get a good look at the thing, and it did look like an over grown rat that was covered in thick scales instead of fur. As bad as a rat looked, this thing was a hundred times uglier, and it somehow looked slimy too, but there was no way that she was going to touch it to find out. She used the bat to push it out of the way, and started to look for more of the things. She made the quick two tone whistle that she'd learned would get Slobber's attention, and started going through the rest of the alien store.

Thwei-de watched the ooman dispatch two of the tunnel runners with a _very_ high degree of ferocity. There were several emotions that he could smell from the strange little female, and anger was one of the strongest. He was certainly no Youngblood Warrior who had little by way of combat experience, but he couldn't understand why the ooman was so angry while killing mere vermin. He knew almost nothing about the ooman except that she was a female pup who had been claimed by one who had at one point intended to become an Arbitrator. The last bit that he knew about the ooman was that she was intelligent, and _very_ well regarded by the large Yaut Hound.

"Why do I detect so much anger in her scent right now?" Thwei-de asked casually.

"That is a question my entire family would like answered, Elder. We would all like to know why she becomes angry or saddened because of something we don't know about." Setg'in answered.

"Then tell me what you know about her."

"I know that she's been starved to the point that she devours her food even faster than a hungry Yaut Hound. She has been in the hands of ooman Bad Bloods who tortured her. Several of her ribs have been broken by a fist that was much larger than hers if one takes the resulting bruises into account. What exactly she's endured will not be known until she decides to speak. So far, she has only done so under severe stress. I will say that whatever she went through has caused her to wake up screaming in fear." Setg'in said bitterly.

"I thought you said she's faced Hard Meat without fear?" Thwei-de interrupted suspiciously.

"She has. I watched helplessly as my oldest brother was about to be killed during our Chiva, but she used the weight of her body as a weapon to spoil the Hard Meat's strike that would have ended my brother's life. As if that were not enough, she stalked up to it and stabbed the beast with a blade the length of my smallest finger. That was when the Hard Meat turned on her. It would have killed her had my second oldest brother not fired his plasma caster at the beast and drove it away. Lilith regained her feet, and apparently decided to leave. Al-Nihkou'te, and Hulij-bpe thwei, my brothers, were approaching her from one end of a chamber, and I was at the other end while cloaked. She didn't know I was there and ran right into me." Setg'in recalled with a chuckle.

"I think that surprised her more than anything, but it didn't stop her from trying to escape. She ducked between my legs and tried to run. I grabbed her covering and lifted her up to face me." Setg'in said before he started laughing.

Setg'in turned and placed a firm hand on the Elder shopkeeper's shoulder. "Trust me; you do _not_ want to see what she's like when she's mad at you."

"What do you mean?" Thwei-de asked curiously. "She's already been mad at me. That was why she was going to throw her toy at me remember?"

"That wasn't mad. That was mild annoyance. When she's angry… well… these tunnel runners are a small example of how she is. The strange part is, I don't think she's angry yet, and not at them. She's just using them as a means to vent her anger from something else."

"Wait! You said you passed your Chiva three days ago… you also said that was when you first saw her. That means, she hasn't been on our world for very long. When has she been given any training, and when was her first guided hunt?" Thwei-de demanded.

"She's had _no_ training at all! As for her first hunt?" Setg'in gestured to the subject of their discussion.

"_Pauk_!" Thwei-de exclaimed angrily. "Why haven't you stopped her then?"

"And get mauled or killed by Bakuub? I may be small, but Cetanu made up for my size with extra intelligence. I'm not stupid enough to start a fight against the kind of training mother put into Bakuub! All I can do is hope that between Bakuub and I, that we can keep her safe… as my mother _demanded_." Setg'in answered in exasperation.

"No. If this is the pup's first hunt, then it will be done properly. However, since she is ooman, we can allow for some differences. The difference will be that instead of a single Elder, she will also be watched by a Yaut Hound, and a Young Blood assisting the supervising Elder." Thwei-de said determinedly. "The first thing will be to instruct her in some self control."

Lilith smirked in a near snarl as she brought her bat down on the face of the tunnel runner that Slobber had chased straight at her. The green and grey ooze that spewed from the things head wasn't the color she was used to seeing. It was red. She wanted to see red blood, guts, and brains being splattered all over the floor. The glowing neon green color was only serving to make her angrier, because she couldn't properly imagine her father or mother getting beaten in such a way, when the corpse spewed a bunch of green stuff everywhere. With an angry huff of rage, she swung the bat again, and again. She drew back to put even more power into her next swing when something stopped the bat from moving. Lilith looked up to see the shopkeeper holding it.

"That is not the proper way to do this. If you are angry, that's fine. _But_, you must control your rage, harness it, use it, allow it to give strength to your body, but do _not_ waste that energy on hitting something that's already dead. Conserve your strength for the next opponent, you might find yourself in need of it. Being able to hunt is a way to master oneself, and one's environment. To do so requires discipline, _self_ discipline. _That_ is what you need to work on right now. Methods, and techniques can be learned later, but learning self control is the hardest thing any hunter will ever do. That is what you must now learn. You may start by dispatching the rest with a single strike, rather than decimating the bodies." Thwei-de instructed the ooman who was now glaring at him.

Lilith heard the lecture from the shopkeeper and wasn't happy about it. She pointed in the directions of the tunnel runners she'd killed, before pointing at herself and the bat.

Thwei-de-thei-de chuckled at the scent of fresh anger from the ooman. Setg'in was right about one thing, she _was_ smart, but she was also angry, and that anger was what she needed to control. He thought for a moment about how to instruct this ooman in the proper way of the hunt without being insulting or demeaning about it. Then, he knelt down to be on the female's level before he spoke.

"Listen to me, Dah-Kv'var-de, (Little Hunter) I know that you've killed several of the tunnel runners, but there are many more still here, and you will need all of your strength if you are to deal with them effectively." Thwei-de said as he pulled something from the back of his belt to show the ooman.

"I don't know how you oomans do things on your world, but you are living among Yautja now, so you must learn the way of the hunt. The Warrior's path is not an easy one to follow, and not all Yautja have the strength or intelligence to do so. You are much smaller, and physically weaker than a Yautja, so you must learn to use your intelligence to compensate for your lack of strength. A perfect example is the way you've killed the tunnel runners. You must use only one strike against them. Kill them quickly, but do not waste any extra effort on them. This is just _part_ of the Hunter's way. Do you see this?" He said as he held out a hand held version of a plasma caster.

"With this weapon, I could easily kill _all_ of the tunnel runners in this shop. But that is not the way of a _true_ Hunter. A true Hunter uses a _minimal_ amount of force to kill their prey." He told her before he took aim near one of the tunnel runners and fired.

The creature squealed loudly in fright and quickly disappeared into one of the vents. Lilith frowned in annoyance when she saw it escape, and she immediately gestured towards the direction it had gone in.

"Yes… I missed. I did so deliberately. With this weapon, I could shoot off one limb at a time, but that does nothing to prove skill or prowess. They do not have the ability to fight back at long range, nor do they attack in any great numbers to overwhelm me. Using such a weapon in this case is dishonorable, and cowardly. To become a Hunter, you must _always_ use the least amount of force needed to secure your victory. To use more than absolutely necessary, demeans your skill and prowess. It shows a lack of self control. It proclaims to all who see your actions that you were not trained properly, and it reflects not just on you, but also on those you live with, and those who have taught you. You've seen how these tunnel runners are, so you know that you can kill them, and how to do it. They must be killed by blade, by strength, by cunning, and by skill. You have the cunning, and you have a weapon. I can teach you some of the skill, but _you_ must find the strength. You can not do that if you are wasting that strength. One strike, one kill, because your next foe might require more than you have. It is the way of the hunter that we live by. We give our prey the chance to defeat us and be victorious, or to escape us and live. Only by hunting our prey on _equal_ terms can we truly consider ourselves to be Hunters." Thwei-de instructed calmly but firmly.

Lilith stared at the Predator in surprise. _'He's really going to teach me how to kill these things, isn't he? Why? Why would he do that?'_ She didn't know the answer to that question, but she listened intently anyway. She wasn't sure what exactly was going on, but whatever it was, it would give her the chance to do something worthwhile, and then… maybe… just maybe it would help.

"Do not misunderstand me. Living with us, and learning our ways will not be easy, but there have been other oomans to do so. They learned to adjust to our ways, and they led honorable lives while among us. I'm beginning believe that you can do the same." Thwei-de told her.

"You should listen to him Lilith. I'm not allowed to teach you the way of the Hunt yet, because I'm not old enough, or skilled enough, but he is. He can teach you just as I was taught, as my brothers were taught, as my parents were taught, and as _he_ was taught. The way of a Hunter is one of the first steps in learning the path of honor. Those who show that they have honor are respected because of it, and those who show that they have no honor are killed as Bad Bloods. Honor is following the true path of a hunter, and obeying the commands of the Elders. I don't mean that you should obey everyone who is older than you are, because that would mean you'd be listening to most of the Yautja alive. The ones you really need to listen to are the Elders of our Clan. All Blooded Warriors of the Burning Mountain Clan have the same symbol on their foreheads. Each Clan has their own symbol. Even though you have faced the Hard Meat, and even managed to wound one of them, you still haven't killed one in honorable combat, so you can not mark your head with our symbol. That's the reason you have to wear the disk, because it will show others which Clan you belong to." Setg'in said as he tried to explain things to Lilith.

"Tell me something Dah-Kv'var-de, (Little Hunter) have you ever hunted before now?" Thwei-de asked seriously.

When the ooman pup shook her head, Thwei-de knew that he had to ask another question. "Have you ever been given any training in using a weapon?"

Lilith shook her head again while wondering irritably why he was asking her these things.

Thwei-de sighed in exasperation as he studied the ooman pup. _'She has no training and no experience, and yet she's as determined as an Unblooded Warrior about to face their Chiva. It's obvious that she's going to be kept here, and not as a pet, so she'll need to learn the proper way to hunt, and the path of honor. This hunt must be the start of that path.'_

"I know from what you showed me, that what you're using isn't meant to be used as a weapon, but since you _are_ using it as one; you must first find the proper balance for it. Allow the weight and balance of your weapon to do the work. Understand?" Thwei-de instructed calmly.

'_Just who the hell does he think he is… my father? What the hell gives him the right to tell me what to do, and how to do it? I'll kill those ugly things anyway I want!'_ Lilith thought as anger welled in her mind. _'Fine! He wants me to kill 'em with one swing… I will!'_

Thwei-de watched in silence as the ooman gave a slight huff before stalking off to resume her hunt. The scent that he caught from the ooman was now one of nothing but rage, and he was surprised at how intense the smell was. It wasn't long before the ooman was chasing another tunnel runner down, and she managed to chase this one into a corner where it was trapped. Thwei-de watched closely to see if the ooman had listened to his instructions.

Lilith held the bat above her right shoulder as she stared down at the thing in front of her. Then, she brought the bat down and across in a snarling grunt of effort as she put everything she had in to the swing. She intended to hit the creature in the shoulders and chest, but caught the thing in the head when it moved. The head exploded in a gory shower of neon green blood, grey brain matter, and white bone that splattered all over her and the corner the creature was in. Knowing it was dead; she didn't spare it a single glance as she wiped the spatter of blood off her face with the sleeve of her shirt and turned to find another of the creatures.

Thwei-de stared in slack jawed disbelief as the ooman pup began to do as he instructed by killing the tunnel runners with a single strike, but he wasn't the least bit prepared for the intensity of rage that the ooman was unleashing. One after another, no less than six of the tunnel runners had gotten their heads crushed into a splattered mess that made it clear there wasn't even a tenth of the skull left intact. The ooman's presence was heralded by the soft squishy splat of gore covered bone fragments falling on the floor from the end of her improvised club as she stalked through his shop.

"_Now_ you see what she's like when she's angry." Setg'in said with a slight chuckle of amusement, to hide the fact that he was _very_ glad he wasn't the target of such anger this time.

"I take it that you've seen her like this before then?" Thwei-de asked in surprise.

"Unfortunately, yes. The last time I saw her like this, was when I took her plate to try to get her to slow down the speed at which she eats. I swear she can eat faster than Bakuub. That was when she took my brother's knife and tried to stab me with it. I think that if she hadn't been so concerned about her food, that she would have continued the attack." Setg'in explained.

"Are there any other times that you've seen her like this?"

"Twice. The first time was in the Temple of Passage, and I decided to carry her over my shoulder in order to get her out of the Temple. I'll have more scars from_her_ than I will from the Hard Meat!" He said ruefully. "The second time was aboard the ship. She needed the waste closet, I told her where it was, and that she couldn't escape like she had in the Temple. She proved me wrong by going through the vents."

Thwei-de let out a snort of laughter at that.

"Yes, and when my father used a system to force her out of the vents, I teased her about it. I was fully armed and in full armor, what could I _possibly_ have to fear from a female ooman _pup_ who wasn't even armed?" Setg'in demanded rhetorically.

"_That_ was when I learned the _hard_ way that she is not one to be lightly angered! She put me on the floor with a single well placed strike to my genitals. I'll tell you that I've been more seriously wounded on several occasions, but I can't name _one_ that was even _half_ as painful!" Setg'in said with a rueful grimace. "That was a painful lesson, and I'll _never_ tease her again when she's already angry."

"I see what you mean." Thwei-de said as he studied the ooman.

As he watched the ooman female, Thwei-de became convinced that there were a lot of things going on in the pup's mind. He had no idea what those things might be, but he knew that they couldn't be anything pleasant. Something had to be done; otherwise this hunt would not turn out as it was supposed to. He went over and stood facing the ooman pup.

"Listen to me for a moment, L'ulij-bpe-Dah-Sain'ja. (Angry Little Warrior) You are doing well in this hunt, but you are allowing your anger to overwhelm you. That is never a wise thing to do. That much anger will cause you to make mistakes. It will cloud your judgment and impede your thinking. You must hunt without being so angry. Calm down, take your time, and allow yourself to enjoy the hunt. You must become one with the cycle of all life in the universe, where you must kill or be killed. This hunt is for you to learn the methods that will serve you well in future hunts, where you become an unstoppable force of nature. I am told that you have already seen those we call Hard Meat, they are powerful, deadly and incredibly smart… _but_ they do not _use_ their intelligence to their fullest potential because they are far too angry. If they would put aside their rage, they could be _so_ much more than what they are. They do not. Instead they rage against everything, and that is their folly. It makes them no smarter than a vicious beast. Without that rage of theirs, they would be capable of traveling the stars as we do… but their anger all but destroys their ability to think, so they stay almost mindless. That is how you are now. You must change that. Let your anger be the great storm that destroys all around you, while your mind is the calm center that contains a true stillness. This is your first hunt; your first step on the path to becoming a Hunter. This is where you learn that death is a part of life, and that a mistake on your part can lead to your death as easily as the mistakes of your prey leads to theirs. Think about it… what mistakes are being made by your prey? What mistakes are the tunnel runners making that gives you the advantage? This is what you must keep in mind while hunting. Cast aside all of your problems, and all of your worries, so that you may focus on this hunt, and your prey. Look at Bakuub… the Yaut Hound follows her instincts for hunting, but she is also _watching_ the tunnel runners to see how she can best kill them. That is what you must do. Use this time to sharpen your mind; hone your instincts, and become the center of the storm while destroying that which is foolish enough to stand against you. Forget _everything_ except this hunt… and that includes whatever has made you so angry. Focus on the prey, and on your surroundings, and you will begin to understand things a little differently." Thwei-de told her after kneeling down to face her.

Lilith's glare of pure death slowly began to fade into one of confusion as she listened to the Predator. Even though she didn't really care about what he was telling her, the words he said seemed to make some sort of sense. She looked around the shop without thinking about anything for a moment as she tried to understand exactly what it was he wanted from her. Suddenly, she began to see a pattern to the movements of the various tunnel runners, and she realized that while she was calm, she had a _much_ better chance of catching more of them.

Thwei-de watched the ooman's face closely. He saw her look around his shop and saw something blossom into understanding in her face. "That's it! See your prey, understand your prey, and let _them_ teach you how to hunt them. Keep your anger, but do not let it control you as you have been." He added with a smile.

When the Predator stepped out of her way, Lilith started moving through the shop again. This time was different though; this time, she wasn't intending to splatter their heads all over everything. Instead, she was going to kill them the same way she'd seen Scar kill that black thing in the pyramid.

Lilith didn't know it, but she had an advantage that neither the Yaut Hound or the Yautja possessed. She was much smaller and less intimidating than they were, and she had a drastically different scent. Because she didn't smell anything like a predator that they would instinctively avoid, Lilith was able to walk right up to them as long as she wasn't holding her bat up in a way that was threatening. That realization went a long way towards helping her calm down, but what really turned the tables on things was when she saw one standing nearby watching Slobber closely.

The ugly thing was completely ignoring her as it focused its attention on Slobber who was stalking another of the creatures. Lilith's face twisted into a mischievous smirk as she got a twisted idea. _'Since that thing is so scared of Slobber, let's give it a personal introduction!'_ Lilith thought as she burst into a run straight at the thing.

Lilith dropped into a slide like a base ball player going for home. Her feet crashed into the thing, and she let out a loud shrill whistle to get Slobber's attention. Lilith got to her feet laughing when the big beast turned and saw the tunnel runner hurtling towards her and ended the creature with one snap of those powerful jaws. That was when Lilith realized that she didn't have just the bat as a way to kill the tunnel runners, but in fact had at least two weapons in her arsenal. It was a realization that kicked her mind into gear, and she started looking around the shop taking note of the things that she saw on the shelves and racks. Most of the stuff was things that she didn't recognize and had no idea what to do with or what they were supposed to be for.

Lilith was looking at a large plastic jar full of hard rubber jet balls when a tunnel runner darted out from under the shelf she was standing next to, and into an open vent. It had startled her when that happened, and it had happened so fast that Slobber didn't have a chance to catch it. Lilith leaned the handle of the bat against her leg and bent down to pick up the case of things she had knocked over when the tunnel runner had surprised her. She froze when she saw what the case contained. She turned to her left and looked hard at the vent for a moment, then she looked back at the case in her hand, before glaring at the vent again.

Lilith nodded her head and narrowed her eyes in silent thought as she stared at the vent that the creature had escaped into. She knew that she wouldn't have the room to swing a bat inside the vent, that wasn't even counting the darkness of the shaft. She needed something that she could use in tight quarters if she was going to start chasing these ugly things through the vents. She set the case down on the floor at the end of the aisle and started walking at a fast pace as she went through the shop looking for something she could use.

Lilith's bat was almost forgotten in her hand as she stared at the box that held what was known as a 'Wrist Rocket'. The Crossman 30.30 sling shot could easily be used in the vent as long as she had something she could use as ammunition. She thought about the jet balls, and immediately discarded that idea. They'd bounce off the things and come straight back at her, and if she missed… well… she knew the vent would have a turn in it somewhere and the ball would _still_ come back at her, so those were no good. She grabbed the box with the sling shot inside, and started looking on other shelves.

Many long minutes into her search, she spotted several bags of marbles. They would be nice and hard; they wouldn't bounce back at her, and they'd be the right size for the sling shot. Lilith picked up two bags of marbles when she realized that if she missed, the marble would break or shatter, and then she'd be trying to crawl through broken glass. That idea didn't appeal to her in the least, so she put the marbles back and kept looking.

Lilith was about to give up the idea of finding anything she could use as ammunition for the sling shot when her eye fell on the contents of a large open card board box. _'Okay, so they won't hurt the tunnel runners, but I'll bet these will scare the living shit out of them and make 'em leave the vents. Once they're out, Slobber will kill them!'_ She thought with a wide grin.

As she headed back towards the opening of the vents, Lilith observed her surroundings with a more watchful eye. She was irritated to see that there were three openings on the floor, and one that was up much higher on the wall near the ceiling.

'_Well, if they come out of that one, they'll get hurt, and Slobber can catch them… or I can too. But if I go in one, and get Slobber to watch another one… how am I going to stop them from coming out of that one?'_ Lilith wondered as she stared at the third vent, while walking back towards the one she planned to enter.

Suddenly, Lilith froze and stared in open mouthed shock at an unopened case of fifty large rat traps.

'_Holy shit! If I put every one of them in front of that third vent, there's no way one of those ugly suckers can get past all of those. That's perfect!'_ Lilith thought with a huge grin.


	14. Hunt Part 2

Lilith set the large box in her arms down and grabbed the box of rat traps. She quickly opened the case and began opening the package of the first one. The whole time she worked, a smug smirk was plastered on her face. She was going to make sure that these super sized space rats were gotten rid of.

Thwei-de stood next to Setg'in as he watched the ooman's actions curiously. He wasn't at all sure what the little female was doing, but there was no doubt that she had a definite purpose in mind. He watched in silent curiosity as the ooman fiddled with numerous devices that were all alike before setting them in front of one of the vent openings. Then, he noticed Setg'in stepping towards the ooman with something in mind.

"No; wait. I want to see what she's doing." Thwei-de instructed the young hunter.

"But, you didn't give her permission to use those things, and she's already opened them." Setg'in protested wanting to avoid allowing Lilith to get into trouble with an Elder.

"Actually, I did give her permission to use anything she needed as long as she shows me how to use the items in the same way. I can easily learn by watching from here. Besides, I want to see what she does. This looks like it's about to become very interesting!" Thwei-de said with a smile.

Lilith looked down at all fifty of the rat traps that she'd set in front of the vent, and smiled grimly. 'Okay, so maybe one of them won't stop one of those bastards, but I'll bet that all of those traps put together will damned sure stop one! Hopefully, seeing the first one dead will make the others go another direction, and I can make sure they all head straight to Slobber!' Lilith thought with a snicker.

Now that one opening was taken care of, Lilith ran back to the large box she'd set down and began digging through it with a smirk on her lips. Her blue eyes lit up like stars when she dug two small packs of Black Cat chain firecrackers out of the box. She quickly opened them up and began to unravel the fuses so she could set them off one at a time instead of all at once. It took her a couple of minutes to separate all the firecrackers, and she immediately started looking through the box again.

When she pulled a bottle of Crown Royal out of the box, Lilith gave it a look of disgusted hatred. That had been the kind of whiskey her parents had liked before she was put down in the basement. She started to put it down when she suddenly smiled at the bottle. She quickly pulled the velvet bag off and cocked her arm back to hurl the bottle away from her, when she noticed the shopkeeper watching her. With a somewhat guilty expression on her face, she put the uncovered bottle back in the box, and kept looking through it.

Sky rockets, pop bottle rockets, Roman Candles, a few more strings of Black Cats, a couple dozen little smoke bombs, and about three dozen of what her father had always called 'Nigger Chasers'. She had no idea what the actual name for them was, but she knew good and well from experience, just what they'd do. Put one down, light it, and run like hell, because there was no telling which direction it was going to go in! She remembered her father laughing really hard when she was crying after one of them had chased her. If she knew how to make them go where she wanted, they might do her some good, but as it was... Lilith shook her head as she put them back in the box. When she pulled out a half dozen mortars almost big enough to put her fist in, Lilith's eyes went wide. These were the kind of things someone could go to jail for if they tried to use them at home, but they were also the best ones to watch, and they were the kind that were always used at shows.

Suddenly Lilith's eyes went as wide as saucers when she saw what else was in the box. A whole case of M-80 firecrackers! She knew from listening to older kids at school, that they had been outlawed many years ago, and no one was even making them any more. She'd never been around one when it had gone off, but she knew from the conversation she'd once heard that they had the loudest bang of any firecracker ever made!

Lilith grabbed about half of the one hundred unraveled Black Cats and stuffed them in the empty Crown Royal bag; several smoke bombs were then added, along with one of the big strings of Black Cats that she hadn't unraveled, and ten of the M-80 firecrackers.

'If these things don't scare the living shit out of those bastards and make them go running out of those vents, then nothing will!' Lilith thought with a malicious laugh.

Thwei-de watched in silence as the ooman rooted through a box of things that he knew had come from her world. He knew where it had come from because all of the racks and shelves were marked with which world or species the items had come from. Hunters would often bring in odd things that their prey had possessed at the time the hunt began, or they would claim various objects from the home or business of the prey. The result was an odd collection of items from across the galaxy, and while there wasn't anything that had actually been used or recognized as any kind of a weapon, this ooman pup seemed to be finding quite a bit to use in hunting the tunnel runners infesting his shop. As he watched, he couldn't help but wonder how an adult ooman who knew that they were being hunted would react if given the chance to prepare, and equip themselves as they saw fit.

Thwei-de was positive that the ooman pup had laid out some type of trap for any tunnel runner that used that shaft as a means of escape, but he wasn't sure about how effective such a trap would be, especially since it was made from many small components. All he could do was watch and wait to see how well this ooman could reason out the needed techniques and skills for hunting. He didn't know what objects the ooman was putting in the small bag that she'd obtained, but he could tell that she obviously had a specific plan in mind.

When the ooman opened several small packages from a much smaller second box, and bent them in the center, the snap of something breaking was clearly heard. Thwei-de was not pleased to hear that sound, but when the ooman pup started shaking the objects that looked like small vials, he became curious. He walked over and removed one of the packages from the box and opened it. The visual modes of his mask revealed that the object actually was a vial of some kind and that it contained a fluid. There was also a smaller second vial inside the first that also contained a different fluid. Puzzled by this, he took the strange little container over to a piece of equipment that analyzed various substances to determine their chemical properties. What he learned was that each of the vials held two separate chemicals. One of them had a high concentration of the same element that Yautja blood was based on.

Deciding that further analysis was called for, he bent the object in the way he'd seen the ooman do, and when he heard the snap, he saw that the two chemicals were now able to mix. Nodding to himself, Thwei-de shook the vial to thoroughly mix the two components, before sticking it back in the analyzer. The result showed that the chemicals inside were releasing a high amount of photonic radiation. Unlike many parts of the electro-magnetic spectrum, photons had long ago been deemed useless to the Yautja race, when other, more penetrating forms of radiation were available to use in visual enhancements. There was also the fact that the photonic part of the EM spectrum covered such a broad range that any mask equipped with it, would be limited to that range along with only one other mode of vision, and such hampering of a mask was deemed both foolish, and wasteful. None the less, it was an interesting little discovery, even if completely useless.

Setg'in watched curiously as Lilith tied two of the odd little vials around the wrist of her left hand and hung three of them around her neck. He had no idea what purpose they would serve, but he figured that he would find out when Lilith put them to use. He was beginning to see that Thwei-de had been right, and that this was going to be interesting to watch.

Lilith knew that she was almost ready. 'Now if I can just figure out how to get Slobber to stay in front of that one vent, I can get rid of the rest of these ugly things.' She thought to herself as she racked her brain on the problem. She walked over to stand by the vent, and watched Slobber chase down one of the creatures. Suddenly, Lilith realized that if Slobber was trained well enough to growl at Scar because of a wrong command, then Scar would know how to make her stay put.

Lilith let out a shrill two tone whistle to call Slobber over to her. When the Yaut Hound got to her the first thing that happened was that Lilith received a long wet tongue right across her face. Lilith sputtered in disgust, and irritably started wiping the drool on Slobber's neck. Seeing that Slobber was now where Lilith wanted her, she motioned to Scar to get his attention, then she pointed at Slobber, and pointed straight at the floor, before watching him expectantly.

Setg'in almost snickered at the little ooman as he walked over to her. It was obvious that she wanted Bakuub to stay in that spot, and given that the Yaut Hound was right in front of a vent opening, he was pretty sure he knew what Lilith had planned. Now he just had to find out if he was correct in his guess.

"Thwei-de; is the ventilation system shut down?"

"No, why?"

"Because I think Lilith plans to enter the shafts and drive the tunnel runners out. If that is her plan, then you'll need to shut down the blowers so she isn't injured." Setg'in answered quickly.

Thwei-de looked over at the ooman pup as he considered the arrangement of things. A trap of some kind had been set in front of one opening, and now it seemed that she wanted the Yaut Hound in front of another. That left one ventilation shaft free for the ooman to enter. Suddenly, the old shopkeeper was laughing at the ingenuity of a mere pup! With a trap in front of one vent, it wouldn't matter if the tunnel runner was actually killed. The noises made by the injured or dying beast would warn the others away from that shaft. With the ooman going in one, the other blocked by a dead or injured tunnel runner, the only remaining exit would be to get past the Yaut Hound. He had to admit, that it was a sound plan, and a cunning one at that. The only question that remained in his mind was if the ooman could actually succeed in frightening the tunnel runners. He walked over to a set of controls and shut down the ventilation system to allow the ooman a chance to try whatever it was she had in mind. He knew that the only real way to learn a proper hunting technique was to either fail while trying, or succeed while trying, either way, the attempt must be made!

"The vents are shut down. If she enters, she won't be harmed unless it's through her own actions." Thwei-de said reassuringly.

Setg'in nodded to acknowledge that he'd heard before looking down at Lilith.

"Let me guess…" Setg'in said slowly. "Do you want me to tell Bakuub to stay here?" He asked as if slightly confused.

Lilith nodded her head emphatically.

"Are you sure that's what you want?" Setg'in asked in the same tone, although he was glad that he had his mask on or else Lilith would have seen him smiling.

Lilith nodded again, not sure why Scar was asking her twice… unless he knew something that she didn't. Lilith began rapidly going over her entire plan in her head. She had the sling shot, the firecrackers, and she even had several glow sticks so she could see. Traps were at one vent, and if Slobber was at the second one, then all that was left was the one she'd be crawling in to.

"Are you really, really sure that you want me to tell Bakuub to stay here?" Setg'in asked teasingly, unable to keep the mirth out of his voice this time.

Lilith huffed angrily, and popped the knuckles of her right fist while pointedly glaring straight at Scar's loin cloth!

Setg'in caught on to Lilith's unspoken threat real quick! That was when he remembered what his mother had told him; that Lilith would find a way to tell her if anything had gone wrong. Suddenly, Setg'in realized that his mask would have the entire day as a recording! Lilith wouldn't even have to say anything! All she'd have to do is demonstrate that she was angry, and Guan could demand his mask to find out what had happened. He sighed heavily as he realized that he'd have to find another way to tease the little ooman.

"Bakuub; defend!" Setg'in snapped seriously as he ordered the Yaut Hound to stay where she was and to try to kill anything that approached her position.

Lilith huffed in irritation while glaring at Scar before she started walking over to the third vent. She reached into the right front pocket of her jeans, and pulled out her cigarettes and lighter. She stopped and stared at the pack in her hand for several long moments while she thought. She clearly remembered how her parents had given them to her, and why.

Lilith was pretty sure that she couldn't use the cigarettes the way her parents had intended anymore… not that she wanted to, and not after the way Gwen had paid a ton of whatever these Predators used for money to have new skin put on her legs. The mere thought of enduring the searing, mind numbing pain again made her hyperventilate a little. She positively hated being hurt, but at the same time, it was now one of the only sensations she was familiar with. Pain and hunger… she was so very tired of both, but strangely, she had come to welcome those feelings, because they were the only physical things her parents would give her. She opened the box and began to pull out one of the Kool Super Long cigarettes, so she could light it.

The sight of the tunnel runner trying to sneak towards the vent that she was heading to, made Lilith burst into a run. The creature squeaked in fear and ran faster. Lilith dropped on her back in a slide as she slammed her feet into the creature, and allowed her momentum to smash the thing into the wall next to the vent. She didn't care at all that her shirt had slid half way up her chest in her slide, all she cared about was getting another one of those things that had scared the crap out of her. She started kicking the beast angrily, and didn't stop until it quit moving. The she doubled over and put her hands on her knees to catch her breath.

Thwei-de-thei-de froze in mute horror as the ultraviolet visual mode of his mask clearly illustrated the hideous pattern of multiple scars that literally covered the ooman pup's back. Out of the corner of his vision, he saw that the young hunter beside him had also frozen in mid stride. 'He said that she'd been tortured by ooman Bad Bloods, but apparently he didn't know about that… that horrid abomination! How could anyone do such a thing to a mere pup?' He wondered in disbelief. Then, he watched in silent shock as the Young Blood stalked angrily over to the ooman pup.

Setg'in grabbed Lilith's shoulder with his left hand to hold her in place while his right pulled the pup's shirt up to see the rest of her back. An incredible rage was instantly flowing through his veins as he stared at something that he knew should never exist. The flesh of Lilith's back was a horribly twisted mass of scars. Looking much like a very serious burn in which all of the skin had been nearly incinerated; Lilith's back was truly a horrifying sight to behold. Never in his life had he seen anything like this. He had thought that the injuries on Lilith's arms had been horrific when he was trying to get her to the ship, but this… this was far more devastating to behold. Lilith's life had been nearly ended by the incisions on her arms, but somehow, by some miracle of the Gods, she had survived receiving… that!

As soon as she was grabbed, Lilith began to struggle to get away, but she felt her shirt get pulled up around her shoulders at the same time. Then, she was released, and she darted a few feet away and pulled her shirt down before turning to glare who ever had grabbed her.

Setg'in stared in silent shock as Lilith's entire body shook with rage. It was a rage that he could well understand, because he felt a similar level of anger coursing through his own body at that moment. Now he understood exactly why the healer had said he didn't want to see those scars, and why his mother had specifically told him to say nothing to his brother about them. He knew that Hulij-bpe would very likely go mad from the knowledge of such a thing, and might well even kill someone without even knowing, or caring who it was.

"I'm sorry Lilith." Setg'in said in a hoarse whisper. "I was told you had scars on your back, but..."

Setg'in had intended to say more, but the way that Lilith was backing away from him with an expression of anger and a scent that held a high amount of fear as well as rage, made him go silent. He stared at her for a moment before slowly shaking his head, and turning away.

"I'm sorry." He said again in a soft voice.

Lilith glared at Scar as he walked away. She was madder than hell after having her shirt pulled up like that, but there was one thing about this that confused her. Scar was walking in a way that made him look almost like he was… broken or something. She'd heard the softly muttered apology, but she wasn't exactly sure what he was apologizing about. Was it because he'd grabbed her like that, or was it for pulling her shirt up? She didn't know, and she didn't really care either as long as she wasn't being hurt. She kept a sharp eye on the Predator for a couple of moments to make sure that he wasn't going to bother her anymore, before she turned back to what she'd been about to do.

Thwei-de did nothing until the young warrior stood beside him with his head hanging low. If he didn't know any better, he would have thought that the Young Blood had just dishonored himself. He couldn't help but feel much the same after what he'd just seen on the ooman's back. Pure morbid curiosity struck him and he pulled the image of the ooman's back up on his mask and magnified it. He could see that the twisted mass of flesh was composed of numerous individual scars. He set his wrist computer to link with his mask and analyze those scars. Each scar was long and very thin, and was determined to have been made by some type of hard impact by a flexible object. Even as he watched, each scar was being highlighted and added to the total count being made by the computer. Higher and higher the tally rose until the number was changing faster than he could keep up with. When the count reached the staggering number of forty thousand and was still climbing so fast that he couldn't read the last three digits, he shut off both the image and the count.

The shopkeeper stood there in mute shock as he thought about what he'd just seen and learned. The term 'torture' took on an entirely new meaning at that moment, and it made him feel physically ill. He looked over at the Young Blood who was currently acting as a keeper for the ooman, and saw that Setg'in appeared to be as horrified as he felt. He had no idea how old the ooman was, but he knew that she was still considered a pup.

'Merciful Paya! Not even Bad Bloods are whipped in such a fashion when they're caught. I don't care what she might have done… there is nothing that could justify or even excuse such a thing. Even if she were the worst Bad Blood to ever live, she would have been executed rather than be subjected to such an atrocity!' Thwei-de thought before he looked to where the ooman pup had just entered the vents.

Setg'in wasn't aware of moving to stand beside the shopkeeper. He turned to watch Lilith disappear into the ventilation shaft, and wondered how she could actually stand to be around anyone after enduring such an atrocity. That was when he recalled the times that he'd actually heard Lilith laugh. He had to admit that she hadn't done so very often. The first time he'd heard her laugh had been back on the ship, before they'd even left her world. As injured as she'd been, with everything she'd been through, Lilith had still found something to laugh about. Granted it had been him being corrected by his father, but still… she had laughed.

Then there was the morning meal the day before. Lilith had laughed at the faces his brother was making at her. The other two times he'd actually heard her laugh was when she'd been playing with Bakuub. That realization made him very glad that the large Yaut hound was present, because the rather strange and unbelievable level of trust between the two meant that Lilith knew she had a way to feel safe at any time she needed it.

Setg'in hung his head in shame as he recalled something else. He remembered spanking Lilith while they were still inside the Temple of Passage. 'No wonder she doesn't seem to like me! She must think I'm no different from the Bad Bloods who tortured her. I've spanked her, scolded her, and taken her food away from her. How can she possibly think I'm any different from those who did such things to her? It doesn't matter that I was only trying to correct her, and get her to behave properly. What will matter is what I've done; that's all she'll care about. I will have to show her that I am not a Bad Blood who would do such things… but how?'

Once Scar had left her alone, she quickly retrieved her dropped cigarette and lit it. Then she grabbed what she needed, dropped down, and crawled into the vent shaft. Lilith reached into the bag she'd tied to her belt, and pulled out one of the black cats. She kept that in her right hand as she crawled forward with the sling shot on her left hand. The darkness of the vent shaft was well broken by the five glow sticks she had with her, and she could hear the awful scuttling and slithering sounds that were being made by the creatures she was after. She hadn't gone very far when the shaft curved in different direction. As soon as she rounded the bend, Lilith spotted several of the tunnel runners in a group. She immediately put the firecracker to the coal of her cigarette to light it and loaded it into the sling shot. She didn't pull the sling shot back very far, because she needed the firecracker to land between her and the tunnel runners. It wasn't easy to use the sling shot, because she had to brace her weight on her left forearm, and she almost overshot where she intended for the firecracker to land.

The sizzling firecracker hit the floor of the shaft and bounced closer to the tunnel runners. The creatures were quickly looking and sniffing at what had invaded the territory in which they'd made their lair. Lilith could see that they didn't like the smell of the firecracker one bit. The things were still backing away from it as it exploded with a loud bang that echoed and reverberated through the vent shaft. Instantly, Lilith was wishing that she'd covered her ears because that noise was loud enough to hurt. She couldn't help but smirk and almost giggle in satisfaction when the tunnel runners squealed in fright before bolting in the other direction, and that did make her laugh.

Setg'in was startled when he heard the sound of the explosion come out of the vents, and he immediately surged towards them with a loud cry. "Lilith! Are you injured?"

Thwei-de was also moving towards the ventilation shaft when he heard what he was sure was a triumphant laugh come out of them. In disbelief he looked over at the young hunter who had brought the ooman, and saw that Setg'in was looking back at him with a surprised expression as well.

"I thought that there weren't any weapons in this shop!" Setg'in exclaimed angrily.

"That's what I thought as well. No one ever sells me any weapons that I know of." Thwei-de answered in confusion.

"Well that sure sounded like some type of explosion!" Setg'in retorted.

Thwei-de walked over to the items that the ooman had left out after entering the vents. He ignored the strange vials of photon emitting chemicals, because he knew them to be harmless. The odd container though had many different objects in it. Then he noticed that there were still many pieces of the item that the ooman had taken apart. He picked one up and took a closer look at it. Examination through several of the visual modes of his mask, showed that the object was an explosive, but one that didn't produce any type of shrapnel, and only a negligible concussion. It would however, produce a loud report very much like the one that was heard.

"She did use an explosive." Thwei-de said in a dead tone.

"What?" Setg'in demanded instantly. "What the pauk is she doing with explosives, and where did she get them?"

"Apparently this container is filled with many of them, and she took more than a few with her. An analysis shows that they're not powerful enough to cause any type of injury unless she's actually in contact with it during detonation." Thwei-de replied in a stern tone.

"Why would she take explosives if they can't actually cause any damage? That doesn't make any sense." Setg'in said in confusion.

Their conversation was suddenly cut short by the sight of dozens, and quite probably even hundreds of tunnel runners emerging from each of the two shafts that the female pup hadn't gone into. The traps that the ooman had set managed to stop two of the tunnel runners, but the rest were in such a panic that they barreled right past the two trapped creatures, knocking the rest of the traps out of the way. Looking over at Bakuub, they saw the great Yaut Hound being overwhelmed by sheer numbers as what appeared to be more than a hundred of the beasts ran past her position. The teeth and claws of the Yaut Hound's forepaws flashed in and out of sight as she fought valiantly to stop all of them. Within mere heart beats the fight was over and the grisly mangled remains of more than two dozen tunnel runners was scattered around her. A few moments later, the ooman came crawling out of her point of entry to survey the level of carnage.

Lilith laughed when she saw how many of those things Slobber had killed while they ran past her. She moved closer and saw that Slobber was snarling towards where the tunnel runners had gone. Lilith leaned against the great beast for a moment before she started scratching the Yaut Hound's favorite places. 'Don't worry about it Slobber. We'll get every last one of those ugly things; I promise!' Lilith swore silently.

As Lilith scratched behind the Yaut Hounds ears, she was rewarded for her efforts with a long wet and very bloody tongue sliding up the side of her face. For once, Lilith didn't really care. She was too busy looking at where the creatures were hiding under the racks and shelves in the store. She didn't pay any attention to the gory mess that she knelt down in to look across the floor of the shop, because she was seeing what had to be several hundred of the tunnel runners!

'Holy shit! There's a freaking ton of 'em! How the hell am I going to get rid of all those ugly things?' Lilith wondered as she sat back on her knees to think. 'I got some of them before going into the vents, and Slobber got even more when they came out. This is nuts! I'm not sure Slobber can even get all of 'em… there's just too many. I'd have to run those things in and out of the vents a hundred times, and Slobber would get tired of that crap real fast. I got lucky in killing a couple of them because they're faster than I am. I need to slow them down, so I can catch up to them in the store instead of in the vents. The question is how. Those traps only got two of them…' Lilith wondered as she racked her brain for an idea.

Thwei-de's eyes narrowed in suspicion as he watched the small ooman sit up after looking under the shelves of his shop. He knew that she was now aware of the enormity of what she'd insisted on assuming. Now he would see what the ooman was made of. Either she would be able to become a hunter, or she wouldn't. Seeing Setg'in step forward, the older shopkeeper knew that the Young Blood was going to interfere in some way.

"No." Thwei-de ordered softly but firmly as he grabbed the younger hunter by the arm to stop him. "This is where we find out if she has the ability to persevere in the face of insurmountable odds… or if she will surrender to defeat without even making the attempt. It is rare for the moment of revelation to come during one's first hunt, but it has been known to happen. If she is unable to rise to the challenge of the task at hand, then she may not be suited for the life of a Hunter. This moment is just as important in a hunter's life as the Chiva. This is where she…"

Thwei-de trailed off what he'd been saying as a silent, smirking snarl began to show on the pup's face, and it was accompanied by a fierce giggle. Then ooman was on her feet and moving rapidly to one of the shelves to grab some items that she'd earlier rejected. He cocked his head in curiosity as he stepped closer to watch what the pup was doing. He watched in silent curiosity as Lilith opened one of the net style packages of small spheres that had come from her world. Then the pup kept one of the items she'd obtained earlier and used that device to launch one of the small spheres into the vent shaft that had been set with traps. Thwei-de wasn't at all pleased to hear numerous impacts as the sphere shattered, and he used his mask to see what was being accomplished by the destruction of his wares. The ooman pup paid no attention to him, the tunnel runners, or anything else as she launched one sphere after another into the shaft to shatter on impact.

Thwei-de-thei-de said nothing as he walked over to the pup and took one of the spheres to examine. Small, round, and hard; the sphere didn't seem to be anything special or dangerous. So what was the ooman doing? Using the gauntlet on his right wrist, he broke the sphere by smashing it on a counter, and picked up a piece to see if he could figure out what the ooman was thinking. He started to roll the broken piece of sphere between his fingers, when he felt a negligible pain in his thumb. He quickly appraised the small cut, and was suddenly looking at all of the pieces of the shattered sphere. Every last one of them had several edges that would cause minor and easily ignorable injuries.

Thwei-de was very puzzled as he looked back at the ooman to see her opening another of the small net bags. Checking the floor of the vent shaft, he saw that those sharp fragments were covering the area near the entrance. 'What the pauk is she doing?' He wondered in confusion. 'If she tries to go in there, she'll end up looking like she's been used as a target for a disk blade class.'

Suddenly Thwei-de was chuckling softly. 'Oh… you sly little ooman!' He thought as he realized what Lilith might be doing. 'If any of the tunnel runners go back inside that shaft, they'll receive countless cuts and abrasions all over their feet and tails. That certainly won't be enough to make any of them bleed to death, but it might just slow them down enough to make it easier to catch them…' Thwei-de's thoughts trailed off as he started chuckling again. Now he only had to watch and wait to see if any of the tunnel runners decided to go back inside the vents.

Lilith used six bags of marbles in the opening of the vent where she was going to set the rat traps back up. Then she walked over to where Slobber was standing in the middle of a gory neon green blood spattered area. Looking over at Scar, she motioned as if she were trying to shoo Slobber away from where the Yaut Hound was standing.

"Your asking him to move the Yaut Hound… aren't you?" Thwei-de asked the female pup when he saw what the ooman was doing.

Lilith looked over at the shopkeeper and nodded her head firmly. She wanted Slobber to move so she could smash another three packs of the marbles in that vent. In spite of getting licked every time the big beast got near her, Lilith actually liked Slobber and didn't want the Yaut Hound to get hurt by any broken glass.

Thwei-de nodded his head in thought for a moment as he studied the small gore splattered ooman female. "You know… I'm beginning to wish that you could talk just so I can find out exactly how intelligent you really are. Even without speaking you are communicating quite clearly, and given the way you are improvising tools and weapons to hunt with, I would have to say that you would be a very interesting person to talk to."

"She can speak if she wants to Elder, but she chooses not to. We don't know the exact reason, but we suspect it's because of what was done to her by the ooman Bad Bloods who were in control of her. The problem is, as long as she refuses to speak, we have no way of knowing for certain." Setg'in answered.

Thwei-de glanced over at the ooman pup in question and saw that she was watching them closely. He could tell that Lilith was well aware of being discussed, and that she didn't appear to be very pleased with being the subject of the conversation. He frowned beneath his mask when he saw the ooman back further away while watching both of them warily. The ooman's sudden distrust was obvious, and he wondered about the reason for it. It was a strange thing to see an ooman that could be readily trusted, but at the same time, did not seem all that willing to trust others.

'I can't fault the pup for such wariness after seeing those scars on her back. After all, there's no way that anyone could have submitted such an atrocity willingly. Someone much stronger than she is would have had to restrain her while another was causing that. The question is… how many dozens of times have they beaten her to cause that? I know some Warriors are occasionally whipped, but only in rare situations. The resulting scars are often viewed as a mark of merit, because it indicates that the Warrior was found to have honor and was considered worthy of continuing to live. But that… that is proof of someone else's dishonor! She obviously tries to hide it, and she shouldn't need to… she shouldn't even have such scars to begin with. I can only wonder if she'll ever overcome such dishonorable actions. She has the makings of a good warrior, but she'll need to learn how to trust others for that to happen.' Thwei-de thought as he studied the ooman pup. He nodded his head to her, and watched in silence as Setg'in ordered the Yaut Hound to him.

Lilith eyed the shopkeeper warily, because he was watching her just a little too close for her comfort after he'd seen her back. She knew that she had all kinds of scars back there, but she had no idea what they might look like. One thing she knew for certain though was that she didn't want anymore scars or beatings.

When Scar called Slobber away from the vent, Lilith got to work. One marble after another was smashed in the entrance of the vent, until she'd used up three bags of them. Then she walked over to where she had everything laid out. The glow sticks, and sling shot were immediately swapped for the baseball bat. Lilith planned to kill as many of them as she could before she tried to run them back into the vents again. The only difference was, this time around, she was going to try to do it a little smarter.

'One ugly critter at a time. That's what I need to do. Don't worry about the rest; don't even think about how many there are; just get one at a time.' Lilith thought with determination as she hefted the bat in her right hand.

There was a steady purpose to her stride as Lilith started walking towards one of the racks with several of the ugly things under it. She knocked the end of the bat against the rack to see if it would scare any of the giant space rats out of hiding. She wasn't surprised to hear more than a few frightened squeals come from under the rack, but she was surprised that one of those things made a break for it.

As soon as she saw the critter bolt from cover, the chase was on. Lilith had the song "Murder Ballad" from the third album of "One Eyed Doll" running through her head as she chased after the creature. The space rat was faster than she was, but Lilith quickly realized that she had one advantage. The thing's claws kept slipping on the floor, and her boots didn't. It was one of the few times she'd been glad that she'd gotten them instead of a pair of shoes from her mother's closet. As the creature tried to run around the end of one of the shelves that was sort of like an aisle, Lilith was able to catch up to it because of the way its feet were slipping. Lilith knew that she didn't have time to stop and go for an over head smash on the critter, so she swung the bat like a golf club instead.

Lilith caught the thing right in the hip above the back leg, and the space rat went sliding and spinning away from her while squealing, snarling, and hissing in a mix of rage and pain. She didn't hesitate to go after it to finish it off, but the thing turned towards her, and made a quick desperate lunge at her.

Lilith knew that she'd gotten really lucky when the bat connected in a solid hit, because she'd never played baseball in her life. She almost dropped the bat in surprise when she saw the creature get knocked back away from her and go sailing through the air to hit the floor in a twitching heap that was bleeding that green stuff from its head. She watched it for a second to make sure it was dead before going back to finding another one that would be dumb enough to try to run for it.

She wasn't as lucky with the next space rat that made a run for it. That one scrambled into the vents and got away from her. That wasn't really a problem though, because she knew they'd all go back in there sooner or later, and when they did, she'd be ready. She kept after them, and while most got away, the rest got splattered in one way or another.

Lilith knew that she was well past tired, but then she'd gotten seventeen of the over grown space rats, and had chased almost fifty of them back into the vents. She leaned the baseball bat against her right leg and bent over to catch her breath. She felt like she'd jumped in a pool, because her clothes were not only soaked, but they were even dripping with sweat.

'At least I'm not freezing anymore.' Lilith thought with a single snort of a rueful laugh just before she heard the sound of approaching footsteps. She looked up to see Scar walking towards her.

"Lilith are you having any trouble breathing right now?" Setg'in asked the ooman in concern. He clearly remembered his mother's warning about the breathing difficulties Lilith might have. He knew that she was underfed and malnourished from the medical exam that had been performed on her, and that her physical condition likely left her short on endurance. The resulting combination could easily prove dangerous under the proper conditions, and he most certainly didn't want to see Lilith die simply because she'd overexerted herself.

Lilith shook her head because she knew that she was only out of breath… well that and hotter and sweatier than she could ever remember being. She didn't want to stop now, because she was doing something that just might make a difference to someone… besides, she already had a serious trap in place that she hadn't even used yet. All she needed was some time to catch her breath.

Thwei-de walked towards the ooman pup with a container of what was called 'Training Water'. Containing various salts, and minerals that were vital during strenuous exercise, it was something that everyone made use of sooner or later. When he'd seen the ooman female start to perspire, he'd thought that something was wrong with her, and he'd immediately looked up what was known about the oomans on his wrist computer. What he'd learned was that exuding moisture through the skin like that meant that the female was exerting herself at what was likely her peak abilities, and that she was overheated. The training water would replenish the minerals she lost, and help her stay properly hydrated. He noted that the ooman looked up at him suspiciously as he approached, and he held out the container of water.

"Here, you should drink this. It will help give you the strength to finish the hunt." Thwei-de told her with a smile.

Lilith took the funny looking canteen or what ever it was, and cautiously took a sip. It was water, bland and flat, but still water, and Lilith was really thirsty, but wasn't about to ask for something to drink. She started slugging it down as fast as she could only to find it snatched away from her.

"Drink this slowly! I've been told that you eat faster than a starving Yaut Hound, and that's fine, if that is how you choose to eat… but this will make you sick if you drink it too fast as hot as you are. Drink it slowly, and you can have more if you want it. If you drink it fast, I will not be giving you any more, because I am not going to be held responsible for you getting sick; understand?" Thwei-de said sternly.

Lilith nodded her head, and gratefully accepted the water when it was handed back to her. It was only through sheer willpower that she was able to drink it down slowly enough that the shopkeeper didn't growl very much while she did. All too soon, the weird canteen was empty, and she handed it back to the shopkeeper with some reluctance because she wanted more.

Thwei-de noticed how the little ooman female was watching the now empty container. He could see that her breathing was labored, and that the moisture she'd exuded was covering her skin in beads. 'Losing fluid through her skin like that has to be dehydrating her. She'll need more water to compensate for that loss.'

"Come with me, and I'll show you where to get water when you need it. A smart warrior knows to maintain their strength during a hunt and their health too." Thwei-de told the ooman pup as he motioned for her to follow him.

Lilith followed the Predator while still struggling to catch her breath. He'd said he would show her where to get more water, and right now she was very thirsty. She followed him to one of those weird alien bathrooms, and watched closely while he showed her how to operate the strange sink.

"Here… but do not drink fast! It will make you sick if you do, and if you try, I will stop you! I am not going to be held responsible for causing illness to a pup." Thwei-de told the ooman pup before handing the container to her. He watched closely to make sure the pup wasn't going to drink too fast, and because he was curious as to how warm or cool she would want the water.

Lilith fiddled with the controls to the weird sink for a while. She found that she could get water that was scalding hot or nearly freezing cold and anything in between out of it. The idea of a cold drink was really tempting as hot as she was. She filled the canteen or what ever it was with water that was nearly freezing and started to drink it. The first gulp stole what breath she had clean out of her lungs, and she stopped to gasp for breath.

Even while gasping for her breath, Lilith was grinning at the container in her hands. She never would have believed that she'd actually be glad to have something cold after her long miserable stay in the cold basement. She slowly drank her fill, before going back to where the space rats were.

'I've got to figure out how to get these things faster. If I have to chase them down one at a time, this will take forever!' Lilith thought in frustration.

Lilith had no idea how to speed things up, so she stuck with what had already worked. She grabbed the bat and stalked over to where she knew a bunch of them were hiding under a shelf. Dropping to the floor, she swung the bat under the shelf and hit at least one of the things. Several of them burst from cover to run towards the vents with Lilith in hot pursuit. She caught up with one of them and brought the bat down hard on its neck. The result was that the bat sort of slid down the neck to crush the skull sending brains and blood squirting everywhere.

"Oh… pauk! That's disgusting!"

Lilith looked over to see who had said that and saw a group of several Predators that she didn't know, and all but one of them were laughing.

"That should teach you not to get to close to someone making a kill." One of the others snickered as the first tried to wipe the grisly remains off his chest and legs.

"What is that thing, and what's it doing here?" Asked one of the Youngblood hunters as he turned to the shopkeeper.

"That is an ooman pup, and she is here because I need to be rid of a Tunnel Runner infestation. So she is undertaking her first hunt. I'll admit that though she has no training with any weapons or in hunting, she is proving to be quite the Little Hunter. I apologize that you were caught by the blood of her latest kill, but there is a waste closet right back there where you can clean yourself off." Thwei-de said pleasantly.

Their attention was diverted back to the ooman in question by a grunt of effort as Lilith dropped into a slide and pinned a tunnel runner against a wall. Acting quickly, the ooman pup grabbed the bat in the center with both hands and used the bat like a pile driver as she slammed it into the creature's head with a snarl.

"Actually, I think I'd rather watch the… ooman did you say? Yes… I'd rather watch the ooman. This looks to be entertaining." The Youngblood replied.

"Setg'in! There you are. I thought you were supposed to be hunting these Tunnel Runners for my uncle." One of the hunters called out in a puzzled tone.

"I had planned to, but that plan was destroyed when a tunnel runner ran past Lilith and scared her. Now, she's out for revenge, and she's doing a fair job of getting it too." Setg'in answered.

"So how many do you think she'll kill before she quits?" Thwei-de-th'syra asked intently.

"Are you joking? As stubborn as she is… I would think at least half, probably more, and it's even possible that she might continue until she gets all of them." Setg'in replied with a smirk.

"Between the ooman, and that massive Yaut Hound she's working with, I wouldn't be surprised at all if this turns out to be a cleansing." Thwei-de interjected while keeping a sharp eye on the ooman.

Just then Setg'in looked to the door as another Yautja entered, and he nearly groaned in dismay when he recognized the female that Lilith had angered by trespassing.

"Hail Thwei-de, I've come hoping that you've obtained some more seeds from other worlds." The large female greeted amiably.

"Lar'ja-sain'ja, (Dark Warrior) greetings. I must apologize but the few seeds that I received were taken by the tunnel runners infesting my shop. I've taken measures to ensure that any others I obtain are properly protected from them. I am also pleased to tell you that my infestation is being dealt with even now." Thwei-de replied with regret.

"Really? You've employed a hunter then? Just how skilled is this hunter, and are you certain they'll be able to deal with your problem? I am not without skill you know." Lar'ja-sain'ja retorted quickly.

"I will admit that the hunter has had no training in weapons or hunting and that this is her first hunt, but she does have a distinct advantage in that she's small enough to pursue the tunnel runners into the vents where they've built their nests. Though she has nothing by way of experience, she is proving to be quite cunning, and resourceful in her methods. In fact, she's already dispatched about fifty of them. She is being assisted by a very large Yaut Hound, and the two of them make for a very impressive team." Thwei-de answered with a satisfied smile.

"If that's the case, then I wish to meet the supervising mother. It's always a pleasure to see a 'First Hunt' take place." Lar'ja-sain'ja said agreeably.

"I regret that I don't know if the mother even lives. The hunter I speak of is an ooman pup, and though she has apparently chosen not to speak, she understands, and listens quite well. That is why I am acting as the Supervising Elder for this First Hunt that she's insisted on taking." Thwei-de informed her.

"Ooman…?" Lar'ja-sain'ja asked in confused surprise before turning to look at the source of a strange sounding snarl.

Every Yautja in the shop turned to stare in curiosity as a tiny ooman went careening past a tunnel runner in a slide. Though the creature had been successful in avoiding the ooman's feet, there was no such luck against the bat in the ooman's hands. The Yautja watched as both ooman pup and tunnel runner went sliding straight towards the waiting maw of an eager Yaut Hound. The tunnel runner was snapped up by powerful jaws that made short work of the creature, while the ooman pup slid between the front legs of the beast to slam into the back legs with what looked like a painful impact. The breath was knocked from the pup's lungs and the resulting noise was clearly heard. Then, the Yaut Hound was turning to lick the ooman pup across the face.

"Is that insolent wretch the ooman you speak of?" Lar'ja-sain'ja demanded angrily.

"I will freely admit that she is very stubborn, but I have seen no indication of insolence or even the slightest disrespect from her. Although I have seen evidence that she responds with the same level of respect or hostility that she receives." Thwei-de replied candidly.

Anything else that was about to be said was forgotten as all of the Yautja stared at the now laughing ooman who was climbing to her feet from beneath the belly of the large Yaut Hound.

"Even though I have seen it once before… that is very disturbing to watch." Thwei-de muttered softly.

"I have to agree with you; although I want to know how the ooman gets away with it." Lar'ja-sain'ja added softly.

"I don't know… but it makes me very curious to know just what that Yaut Hound senses about the ooman that makes her worthy of such trust." Thwei-de offered.

"Aren't Yaut Hounds supposed to be somewhat empathic?" Lar'ja-sain'ja asked suddenly.

"I've heard of many who claim they are, and I suppose it's possible I guess… but if they are… no one's ever been able to prove it. If they are… then I would really like to know why that ooman is trusted in such a way." Thwei-de commented while in deep thought.

As Lilith got to her feet to and was once again licked across the entire left side of her face, she realized that there was no way she could chase the space rats down one at a time when they were faster than she was. She figured that it was time to start running them in and out of the vents until they slowed down some. That would give her the chance she needed to get rid of them. She started walking towards the shelf at the back of the store where the jet balls were, because they would be perfect for shooting under the shelves and racks. Then, Lilith stopped as she stared at a pair of boxes that contained fireplace sets. She stared at them for a moment before she realized that the screen could stop the space rats from going into a vent.

'If I put those in front of the vent Slobber watches, and the one I crawl in, then they would have to go in the one with lots of busted marbles! Then I shoot a firecracker in there, and they all come running out again. They'd have to hurt their feet when they run past all that glass twice, and then I can catch up with them.' Lilith thought with a wide smile of satisfaction.

Lilith pulled both of the boxes off the shelf and opened one to get the fire screen out. She quickly set that aside and got the second one, before going over and setting them up where she wanted. Once the screens were in place, Lilith frowned at them, because they didn't look like they would stop the space rats from getting past them.

'If they work, and make those things go in the vent where I busted most of the marbles that will be great, but they probably won't because they'll be too easy to move. Oh well, it's worth a try.' Lilith thought wryly.

With one last uncertain look at the vents, Lilith walked over and got the plastic jug of jet balls. She picked a spot on the floor where she could see under most of the racks and shelves in the store. Then, she lay down and got the wrist rocket in place on her left arm, and started firing the jet balls at the space rats. She wasn't really aiming to hit them, because all she needed to do was scare them. She was not prepared for the result. The first shot bounced off one and slammed into a second space rat, and both snarled loudly.

Lilith had quickly fired no more than fifteen of the jet balls at the tunnel runners when the mandibles flared and jaws dropped on the face of every Yautja in the shop.

'This can't be what the ooman planned… can it?' Thwei-de thought in a stupefied daze as he watched and listened to the angry squeals, squeaks, screams, hisses, and snarls of the tunnel runners as they turned on each other in fits of rage and terror.

Lilith stopped shooting the balls at the space rats when she noticed that all across the store; they were now fighting each other. Fighting, and killing each other! It was an all out war, and she had started it. Suddenly, she realized just what she had done. She was getting the space rats to kill each other off, and that would leave less of them for her to have to chase down. She burst out in a demented giggle that soon turned into an all out laughing fit as she watched 'The War of the Space Rats'!

Setg'in was very glad that he was wearing his mask, so that all of this was being recorded, because otherwise no one would ever believe it! He no longer cared that this was supposed to have been his task to pay for the disk and chain of heat metal, because seeing what was now taking place all over the shop was well worth standing aside and watching!

Lilith lay on the floor laughing as she watched what was happening. All of the space rats were fighting each other furiously, and the various fights were now spilling out from under the shelves and racks around the store. She could see that with more room to move around, the fights were getting more vicious and violent, and that only made her laugh harder. She watched with wide eyes as one snarling mass of bloody space rats got closer to her, and she could see that they were literally ripping each other apart. She rolled onto her hands and knees to begin crawling closer for a better look, when she was suddenly snatched from the floor and carried quickly away from the ongoing fight.

Lilith was so surprised by being snatched up and carted away from what she wanted to watch, that she'd barely begun to struggle when she was shoved into the arms of one of the Predators.

"If this ooman is only a pup, and you are supposed to watch it, then you will keep it from being harmed! I'm not sure what is going on with these tunnel runners, but that isn't normal, so keep that ooman away from them while that is happening." Lar'ja-sain'ja growled angrily as she shoved the ooman into the Youngblood's arms.

Upon finding Lilith shoved into his arms, Setg'in quickly set her on the floor and steadied her while she got her feet beneath her. Looking down at her, he couldn't help but notice the surprised but satisfied grin that was plastered on her face. The floor of the shop was in total chaos as the tunnel runners continued to tear each other apart in their fear and rage over being disturbed. Then, Lilith broke away from him, and darted over to the bat that was leaning against the wall.

Lilith grabbed the baseball bat, and turned to look at the space rats who were fighting each other. There were swarms of them scattered all over the store, and she looked carefully for one of the smaller piles. She got a solid grip on the Louisville Slugger as she sidled her way around the store, then she saw the swarm she was looking for. With a malicious grin, Lilith charged right in with a swing of the bat leading the way.


	15. Hunt Part 3

A wordless battle cry reverberated throughout the store as Lilith charged into snarling space rats that were now bent on killing everything around them. The sound of her voice caught the attention of one, and it lunged at her in a hissing screeching leap. Lilith poured every ounce of strength she had into the swing that she just knew was going to connect.

The vibration caused by the tremendous impact made her hands sting, but that was easily ignored as she saw the result of her effort. The space rat was knocked a good fifteen feet across the store to land in a twitching heap, and Lilith grinned at it. She quickly looked back at who knew how many others that were still fighting each other, and poked one of them with the end of the bat.

The creature turned and attacked so fast that Lilith barely got a swing in at the creature. There wasn't much power in the swing, but it still stunned the creature just long enough for her to get a much better second shot at it. She couldn't help but laugh as the head exploded in a shower of blood and brains that went everywhere, including all over her.

Lilith looked carefully for another space rat to kill. She wanted to get the big ones first, because she figured that the little ones would be easier to kill later. She gave a sharp whistle between her teeth, and saw another one look up after it had killed its opponent. Her eyes went wide as the space rat came at her fast and low. She kicked it away stubbing her toes in the process, but the space rat never hesitated as it charged again. This time the bat made a loud wet crunch as she caught the creature in the back of the neck.

Lilith didn't care, or even consider what the Predators might think of her methods as she got the attention of another space rat. The fact was, she wanted those things to face her, to see her, to know she was coming for them. She wanted something to be afraid of her for once, and that was why she was doing what she was. For a long time, she'd been chained naked to a wall, and endured the cold darkness of the basement while suffering from thirst, hunger, and more pain than she had even dreamed was possible. Now she was free… away from the basement, away from her parents, and even away from Earth. She was on an alien world where no one could ever find her. It was likely that no one knew or even cared that she was gone.

Lilith hated the memories that kept flowing through her mind. Visions of her father's fists as they pounded into her body; the horrible happy sounding laughter from her mother as she watched Lilith get beaten into unconsciousness; and the never ending hunger that she had to endure along with the sneering, snarling faces of her parents. She hated those memories, and wished that she could somehow forget it all… but she couldn't. So Gwen had gotten the scars taken off her arms and legs, she still had the ones on her back, and she was never going to let anyone know that those scars still caused her pain.

Thoughts of honor never entered her mind as she got the attention of each space rat that she killed. Instead, what she thought about was the fact that she was figuring out how to use something to fight back. Fight back against anything that could hurt her. She knew that she'd have to start small, and these space rats were a good place to begin. She imagined her father's sneering grin on the face of one space rat as she killed it, and her mother's happy smile on another when she crushed its head. This wasn't what she had wanted from life. Before the basement, when she'd been ten years old; she'd had dreams of a handsome man who would become her 'Prince Charming', and she had dreamed of a house, and children. Those dreams were long gone now. Those dreams had belonged to someone who didn't know that she was a worthless mistake, someone who didn't deserve a life of never ending pain and suffering, someone who'd actually been loved. Now things were different. Now she wanted to get as strong as she could; she wanted to learn how to fight so she could make sure that she was never trapped in a basement again. She wanted to make sure that no one could ever hurt her again. She knew that it wasn't going to be easy, but she had seen how easily these Predators had killed some of the other people who'd been in the pyramid, and for now, they were willing to teach her what they knew.

Lilith stalked among the writhing piles of fighting space rats, and quickly killed those she could single out. Looking carefully, Lilith could see that the number of space rats was dwindling rapidly as they continued to kill each other off. Although that was actually a good thing as far as getting rid of them went, it did absolutely nothing to satisfy her need for some kind of revenge against something!

Stepping over to a pile of dead space rats that had two left alive who were facing off against each other, Lilith gave a loud snarl of rage and kicked at both of them. Instantly, the two creatures separated, and began moving to opposite sides of her. She swung the bat at one of them, only to have to kick out in defense as the other lunged at her. Just when Lilith realized that while she tried to deal with one, the other would get her, she found herself being hoisted from the ground by the back of her shirt. Then, before she could even start to struggle against whatever, or who ever had her, she saw Slobber plow into both of the space rats at a dead run.

Lilith burst out laughing when she saw the huge Yaut Hound smash the first into oblivion by running over it while lunging for the second. Her cackle of laughter instantly turned into sputters of disgust when Slobber brought one of her massive front paws down on the space rat which had turned to run, and sprayed her clothes, face, and everything else in a shower of blood and guts as the Yaut Hound splattered the thing by crushing it.

After wiping the green gunk off her face so she could see, Lilith craned her head around so she could see who was holding her up in the air.

"Understand this ooman! I don't like you, and I do not like your species, but I will not allow you to be injured or killed because of your own stupidity! If you are going to continue this hunt, then you will be more careful! Those Tunnel Runners could have killed you if that Yaut Hound and I hadn't acted when we did. They might be small to a Yautja, but even then, they can still be dangerous in large numbers. You have neither the size, speed, or the strength to face them as you just did, so do not try that again!" Lar'ja-sain'ja snarled angrily before she placed the ooman back on the floor.

Lilith turned to face the angry Predator, and instantly recognized the one that had gotten pissed just because she had been smelling those weird flowers. Lilith backed up a step, before she turned around, intending to go over to Slobber, and see if she could get the big beast to follow her while she went after some more of the space rats.

As soon as the ooman turned its back to her, Lar'ja-sain'ja became irate, because she just knew that the ooman was going to completely ignore her warning. She heard the ooman pup make a strange two tone sound, that was very much like one an aerial creature might make, and then the Yaut Hound was moving quickly to the ooman's side. She was very surprised by how quickly the Yaut Hound responded to the strange summons, but her anger began to cool as she realized that the ooman was apparently going to actually listen to what she'd said. Although she completely despised the entire ooman species, Lar'ja-sain'ja was grudgingly forced to admit that getting the vermin to kill each other was an incredibly clever tactic, and she had to applaud this particular ooman for having done so.

Lilith moved through the shop with Slobber right beside her. She kept the baseball bat ready to swing at anything that came her way. She didn't really know how long it took her and Slobber to find the rest of the space rats that hadn't gone into the vents, but she was sure that it was a couple of hours. The problem was that after the weird little war was over, the space rats started hiding under the shelves and racks again… and this time they wouldn't come out. She had to poke and prod each and every one of them with the baseball bat dozens of times before they would finally be fighting the bat intensely enough that they could be lured out where Slobber could get at them.

Once she was sure that the rest of the space rats were all hiding in the vents, Lilith traded the bat for the sling shot. She checked the glow sticks to make sure she'd be able to see, before looking through the bag of firecrackers to make sure she had plenty of ammo. A smirk crossed her face as she got down on her hands and knees to crawl in the vent. She pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and then crawled in.

As soon as she realized what the ooman pup intended to do, Lar'ja-sain'ja stepped towards the pup meaning to intervene. Although she fully despised oomans, she wasn't about to allow a pup to be placed in danger. Then she spun around angrily when she felt a hand on her left elbow.

"Be at ease Huntress. She has gone into the vents before, and she has a very effective means of keeping the Tunnel Runners away from her by frightening them." Thwei-de said candidly.

"And just what means would that be?" Lar'ja-sain'ja demanded crossly. "That ooman is supposed to be a pup, and therefore does not need to be placed in jeopardy! Entering those vents where Tunnel Runners are known to make their nests is asking to be injured or even killed!"

Suddenly, everyone jumped and turned towards the entrances to the vents as the sound of a small explosion was heard loud and clear.

"That is the means she has to frighten the vermin!" Thwei-de said with a snicker after getting over being surprised by the noise of the report.

"What the pauk was that? It sounded like some kind of explosive device!" Lar'ja-sain'ja demanded angrily.

"That's exactly what it was; some kind of small and nearly harmless explosive from her world. They make a loud noise, but there's not much use for them other than that. They just aren't made properly." Thwei-de admitted.

"Am I to understand that you've allowed a mere pup to enter the nesting area of a bunch of tunnel runners, who've already been provoked to the point that they've even begun killing off members of their own nest, while she is armed with nothing more than noise makers for a weapon?" Lar'ja-sain'ja screamed in mounting rage.

"Who's pup did he allow to do such a foolish, and suicidal thing?"

Lar'ja-sain'ja turned to see a rather large female approaching after having entered the shop, and she instantly appraised the unknown female.

Tall, and well muscled, the female approached with a silent, but deadly grace that could only come from lots of experience in battle. Although there were surprisingly few battle scars in evidence on the female's body, it only took one look at her, for Lar'ja-sain'ja to know that she was looking at a highly experienced Elder who could readily, and easily defeat any individual in the shop… herself included.

"The pup in question is an ooman, and I know very little about them, but I am told, that this particular ooman is still a pup!" Lar'ja-sain'ja answered clearly now certain that this female was going to assist her in ensuring the safety of a pup.

Instantly the strange female's face contorted in rage, and she rounded on one of the Youngbloods present. It was the same Youngblood that Lar'ja-sain'ja recognized as having been with the ooman pup earlier.

"Tell me Setg'in… where… is… Lilith?" Guan hissed in anger as she stalked towards her son.

"She's in the vents… chasing the Tunnel Runners. Just like she did earlier…" Setg'in broke off and stared at the opening of the vent in mounting horror as a thunderous report was clearly heard. This one was much, much louder than the others had been, and it was quickly followed by a rapid series of somewhat smaller explosions that made his blood run cold to realize that they were being detonated in such an enclosed space.

Angry squeals of pure terror heralded the sudden flood of tunnel runners as they fled the vents. The sounds of terror from the vermin were accompanied by the laughter of a very satisfied ooman as Lilith popped her head out of one of the vents. Guan's breath of relief suddenly turned to one of horror when she saw the pup get knocked to the floor from behind as one of the tunnel runners mangled her back while trying to flee over the prone body of the pup.

Lilith surged to her feet with a scream of both pain and pure primal rage. The space rat had not only knocked her down from behind, but the claws on the thing had pretty much shredded her back. The pain was such a familiar sensation that it was quickly ignored in the burst of animalistic rage that tore through Lilith's mind. Besides, the scars on her back always hurt anyway, so this was nothing new. The space rat was another story. Lilith ignored everything else as she caught up to the creature, tackled it, and wrapped her legs around it from behind in an effort to start squeezing the air from its lungs. Then she grabbed it by the neck and applied every bit of pressure she could as she slowly throttled the space rat.

Lilith continued to apply every bit of pressure she possibly could while she screamed in pure rage at the creature. Long after the body went limp in her hands she kept squeezing; wanting it dead and more for hurting her. The whole time, tears flowed from her blue eyes because she really wished that it was her own parents that she was strangling. Then, she looked up when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

Guan could smell many things about Lilith in that moment; despair, fear, blood, and an anger that she couldn't really fathom. She knew from Lilith's scent that it was a rage more intense than anything she'd ever seen from this ooman pup, and that both disturbed, and worried her.

"The Tunnel Runner is dead, Lilith. You can let go now." Guan said softly.

Lilith looked up at Gwen while rage flowed through every vein in her body. She was pissed! Pissed at her parents, pissed at that stupid stiff Weyland, pissed that she'd been taken to the South Pole, pissed that she'd been brought to this world, and really pissed at the space rats who had scared her, and now hurt her. It was time to get some serious payback for everything!

She untangled herself from the space rat and saw that the end of its tail was wrapped around the stem of one of those giant mangos. She snatched the giant mango away from the dead space rat angrily, and got to her feet. She walked over to the shop keeper and shoved the giant mango at him before going back to the vent to grab the bat. She looked around the shop and quickly spotted the trails of green blood that had been left by the ones to run across the broken glass that she'd placed as a trap. She tried to follow them, and quickly realized how useless that was going to be, because of the large pools of blood that had been left everywhere by the space rat war.

Guan watched in silence as Lilith stared at the floor of the shop angrily. Seeing that the pup was thinking something over, she knew that she had a few brief moments in which to have some questions answered.

"I thought you were supposed to hunt the vermin down… not Lilith! How did that change? Answer me Setg'in. I want to know why the ooman pup I've accepted as a member of my house is now injured because of a hunt that she has no weapons for!" Guan demanded in a soft voice.

Lar'ja-sain'ja felt her mandibles drop in shock as she looked at the large female again. 'This is the female Elder who has claimed the ooman? If she's that well built, then her Lifemate will certainly be no easy challenge either, but why would they decide to claim an ooman?'

"One of the tunnel runners startled her before the hunt could even begin. That was when she insisted on dealing with them. At first she was even demanding my spear, then she spotted what she has now, and she's used that to kill more than a dozen of them. Bakuub has even been helping her." Setg'in answered immediately.

"I will admit that I've seen that Yaut Hound assisting the ooman, but I have already needed to intervene twice to keep the ooman from being seriously hurt or killed, and that was before the ooman got injured! I don't even know why this has been allowed if that ooman really is a pup!" Lar'ja-sain'ja said angrily.

"I can tell you that she is indeed a pup, because she still hasn't experienced her first breeding cycle. As to why she is doing the hunting here instead of my son, is something I still have yet to learn!" Guan finished in an ominous tone while looking straight at her son.

"That would be my responsibility. While he was telling the ooman that he would deal with the tunnel runners, I said that I didn't care who killed them, as long as the problem was dealt with. The ooman, then selected what she is currently using, and many other things from among my wares to use in her hunt. I have been supervising her, while assisted in keeping her safe from harm by this Youngblood, and that Yaut Hound." Thwei-de said defensively.

Guan was about to say something when her attention was suddenly drawn to the noise made by one of the explosives that she'd heard a few brief moments ago. Lilith's snicker of pure malice, made her look in that direction, and she saw the ooman pup using some kind of wrist device to hurl a small object across the floor of the shop. She looked at the strange cylinder shaped object, and jumped in surprise when it detonated with another of those thunderous noises. Snapping her attention back to Lilith, she intended to go and ask what the little female was doing, when the ooman pup laughed before darting over to a box on the floor of the shop.

When she saw that not even two of the M-80 firecrackers would get the space rats out from under the racks, Lilith decided that she needed something better. Suddenly she was laughing loudly when she thought of the perfect solution. She ran over to the box of fireworks and started pulling things out of it. Looking at one of them, she saw that what her father had always called 'Nigger Chasers' were actually labeled 'Rat Chasers'!

'Oh that's just perfect! Rat Chasers for scaring the crap out of space rats! I'll light these things off, and throw them at the rats, then I'll break out an even bigger gun!' Lilith thought with a giggle.

Lilith took all thirty six of the Rat Chasers out of the box and lined them up in front of her. Then she grabbed half a dozen of the Roman Candles and set those out. She quickly relit her cigarette, and got ready.

Light, throw, grab! She repeated the process as fast as she could, and she had actually tossed about nine of the Rat Chasers before the first one started a loud buzzing whistle and took off in some random direction. Within seconds, there were nearly a dozen of the whistling, buzzing things flying around the shop no more than an inch off the floor. They were not only scaring the crap out of the space rats, but startling the observing Yautja as well.

Lar'ja-sain'ja watched in shocked disbelief as a few tens of buzzing noise makers flew across the floor of the shop even faster than a hurled blade disk! In shock, she looked over at the ooman pup to see the little thing laughingly light off more of them until the small row in front of her was gone. That was when the ooman settled back for a moment to watch with what could only be described as a predatory smile on the ooman's face.

"What the pauk are these things?" One Youngblood demanded.

"I don't know, but they are pauk-de fast!" Another answered.

Guan observed everything in the ultra-violet spectrum of her mask, because she'd found that whatever those things were, they moved much faster than thermals could keep up with. Those strange little noise makers moved at high speed, and ricocheted off of anything they came in contact with. It wasn't until one bounced off her left foot that she realized they were harmless, but still, they were highly irritating. She couldn't help but notice that poor Bakuub wasn't able to deal with them, because by the time the Yaut Hound saw their heat signature, the swift moving thing was already gone. The Yaut Hound finally took her frustration out on those tunnel runners who'd abandoned their hiding spot in favor of avoiding the… what ever those were!

Lilith smirked as she watched Slobber chase down a few of the space rats, and decided that it was time to pull out all the stops! She quickly gathered up all of the smoke bombs and tossed half a dozen into each vent shaft after lighting it off. When the thick clouds of colored smoke started filling the vents, she knew it was time to kick things up a notch. She knelt down by the box, and grabbed a Roman Candle. Once it was lit, she pointed it under one of the racks where several of the tunnel runners were hiding. The ball of green fire that shot out of the end of it resulted in terrified squeals as the space rats immediately ran for new hiding spots. She saw one run into one of the vents, but quickly come back out again, while making some weird noises.

'Ha! Can't breath in there anymore, can you sucker?' She thought nastily as she aimed right behind the thing.

Lilith had thought that the space rat was running fast, but she learned a whole new definition of speed when the ball of blue fire exploded right behind the fleeing tunnel runner. The thing jumped forward and screamed in mortal terror at the same time. Lilith watched the thing's claws scrabble for grip on the stone floor as it ran even faster to find a place to hide.

Lilith burst out laughing when that hiding place was never reached. Slobber saw to that with her fang like teeth. The huge Yaut Hound had darted from between a row of shelves to catch the space rat, and end its panicked flight with one snap of those deadly jaws. Even as that happened, Lilith was aiming the Roman Candle under other racks and shelves to scare the rest of the gross looking space rats out of hiding.

"What in the name of The Black Warrior is that thing?" Setg'in demanded loudly as he placed a hand on Lilith's shoulder.

Lilith was so surprised that she wasn't even thinking about what she was doing as she spun to face the Predator. That was when a lemon yellow fireball shot out of the thing and hit Scar right in the stomach. The fireball exploded with a loud crackle and a blinding flash of light, and Lilith fell back with a cry of both fright and surprise.

Setg'in stood there and examined his stomach carefully. The point of impact had left a small area of irritation, but there was no real damage, and it felt about the same as if he'd gotten just a touch too much sun. A glance at Lilith showed that she was rapidly blinking her eyes as she tried to clear away after images from her vision, but the scent of total fear began to rise swiftly from the now prone female.

"Setg'in?" Guan asked hesitantly not really sure if she wanted to know just how badly her son had been injured through a foolish accident.

Setg'in spun angrily to face his mother, and the expression of rage on his face did not bode well.

"Even her pauk-de plasma caster is harmless! Had that been one of ours it would have burned right through me at that range. I would have hit the floor in two pieces! She is using nothing more than playthings as weapons to hunt these tunnel runners!" Setg'in said in a near roar of disbelief.

Setg'in suddenly found himself spun around as Lar'ja-sain'ja looked at his stomach closely. "He's right… there's no injury there that is even worth mentioning. I've received far worse than that from simply being exposed to the sun for too long."

"Explosives that do nothing more than make noise, miniature disks that do no more than move at high speed, and a plasma caster that won't even leave a burn scar after a very close impact; does she have anything that is an actual weapon for this hunt?" Lar'ja-sain'ja demanded angrily.

"This shop doesn't have any weapons, so there are none for her to use! Everything she's using is something that she's found in here… well… except for that Yaut Hound!" Thwei-de finished ruefully as he began using the sensors in his wrist computer, and mask to find out how many tunnel runners were left.

Thwei-de stared at the results of the scan in stunned surprise. "I knew that she'd managed to get quite a lot of them, but there are less than a handful left. That means she's killed more than three-hundred of those vermin!"

Guan gaped over at Lilith in pure shock. The ooman pup was still on the floor of the shop, and watching all of them as if she were the one to be hunted! Suddenly, the little female was scrambling to her feet, and creating that strange two tone whistle to summon Bakuub to her side. Guan watched carefully as Lilith began stalking through the shop looking for the rest of the tunnel runners.

Lilith knew that she'd be in serious trouble for hitting Scar with that Roman Candle, and she could only hope that if she killed off the rest of the space rats, that it wouldn't be something too painful! She knew that Scar was supposed to be the one to kill all of these things, but now she was the one doing it, and she hoped that if she finished, that maybe she wouldn't get punished too badly. After getting a rather weird idea, she picked up the bat, and walked through the shop. Getting the rest of the space rats out from under the racks and shelves was easy now that she was slinging the bat underneath them. As the giant rats ran from the bat, they were killed by Slobber. She had just knelt down to look under a rack when she got a strange feeling. She looked up to see that strange Predator woman coming towards her.

Certain that she was about to be hurt, Lilith jumped to her feet, and ran towards the vent. She flopped down on her stomach and slid inside. She was glad that she hadn't taken off the glow sticks as she hurriedly made her way deeper into the vents. As she crawled through the vent, she came to a right hand turn, and knew that this was where she'd first seen the space rats. She peeked around the corner carefully, and saw that the coast was clear, so she crawled ahead. It wasn't until she spotted a whole bunch of weird things in front of her that she realized she was looking at the nest. There weren't any baby space rats, but there was a bunch of half eaten giant mangos, and some other stuff that was just shredded. Then she saw a small bag that had a hole in it, but wasn't shredded like everything else. She tied a knot where the hole was, and then tied the bag to her belt. It was about the same size as the Crown Royal bag, so it was no problem to carry it with her.

"Lilith? All of the tunnel runners are dead… there is nothing left for you to hunt in there, and I need to look at your back to see how badly you were injured." Gwen's voice said as it echoed through the vent.

Knowing that she was going to be in a lot of trouble for shooting Scar, and not wanting to make it worse than it was already going to be, Lilith crawled slowly back out of the vents. As soon as she stuck her head out of the shaft, she was greeted by the long raspy, and wet tongue of Slobber sliding across her face. She reached up and pushed the Yaut Hound's face to the side while she got out of the vent and stood up.

"Turn around and let me see your back Lilith. I want to know how badly you're hurt." Guan stated firmly as she placed a hand on the pup's shoulder.

Lilith turned around slowly and winced as Gwen pulled up her shirt. Lilith cringed when she heard the ominous growl from Gwen, and quickly turned back around to see that the Predator wasn't too happy.

"I need you to turn back around, while I apply some pain blocking paste to your back. You are fortunate that I saw Than-guan today, and that she gave me something that will work on you. I just didn't think I'd need to use it so soon." Guan said as she quickly turned Lilith back around and spread some of the paste on the pup's back. She was certainly glad that there was pain blocker in the paste. She finished quickly and pulled the pup's covering back down, and saw that it was damaged and torn.

Guan wasn't pleased to see the damage to Lilith's covering, because the pup had very little to wear as it was. She knew that more coverings were being made for Lilith to wear, but she would need something to cover her body until those covering were finished.

Once Gwen pulled her shirt back down, Lilith went over to the shop keeper and handed him both bags after untying them. She expected him to keep both bags, so she was really surprised when he handed her back the one she'd found in the vents.

"You were the one to recover these from the tunnel runners' nest. I would never have been able to recover them, so they rightfully belong to you now." Thwei-de said as he examined the small bag containing the strange explosives.

"So what does that pouch contain?" Guan asked curiously.

"It has plant seeds from several different worlds. I had planned on selling it to Lar'ja-sain'ja, but the vermin took it before I could." Thwei-de answered.

"Plant seeds? That has got to be one of the strangest trophies I've ever heard of." Setg'in said with a shake of his head.

"No stranger than that naxa fruit she obtained from the one she killed with out using a weapon of any kind!" Thwei-de responded with a snicker.

Guan looked down at Lilith who was looking at the bag skeptically. She knew that an actual trophy was never sold, but then a mere pouch of seeds wasn't something that could be easily recognized without some kind of explanation.

"Lilith… do you wish to keep those plant seeds as a trophy?" She asked hesitantly.

Lilith looked up at Gwen and shook her head. The bag of seeds wasn't anything like the bowling trophies her father had been so proud of… and besides, she didn't even have a dresser or shelf to put a trophy on. She didn't know anything about keeping a garden or farming either, so what was she going to do with them if she kept them?

"If she doesn't want them… I will be glad to purchase those seeds… at an honorable price." Lar'ja-sain'ja said as she stepped forward. "Since they are a result of her triumph against a large nest of tunnel runners, and therefore a trophy of that victory, I would not expect a low price." She added quickly.

Lilith looked from the two Predator women down to the bag of seeds. She knew that she didn't have any use for them at all, and she didn't really want them. Then she realized that she could get rid of them easily by giving them to this grumpy Predator woman. Maybe then the woman wouldn't be so grouchy when she wanted to smell those flowers in her yard.

Lilith thrust the bag of seeds at the grouchy assed Predator woman, and soon as the woman took it, Lilith turned and started walking through the shop. She could hear Gwen talking with the other Predator woman, but she saw the shop keeper getting ready to do something with some kind of a bottle. Curious about what the shop keeper was going to do, Lilith walked over to watch.

"Ah… the 'L'ulij-bpe Dah-Kujhade' (Angry Little Destroyer) has come to see the final end of these tunnel runners. Tell me Yeyin Dah-Kv'var-de, (Brave Little Hunter) are you ready to examine the bodies of your kills to select your trophies? You will need the skulls and skins of many kills upon your trophy wall to properly impress others with your skill." Thwei-de thei-de said in a very pleased tone and a wide smile.

Lilith frowned at the thought of hanging the skulls of a bunch of space rats in her room. She wasn't all that pleased by the thought of putting their skins on the walls of her room either. The stuffed doodads were one thing, because she had never seen them alive, and they weren't hanging on the walls either! She looked up at the shop keeper and shook her head with an expression of disgust on her face.

"Ahhh… a discriminating Hunter! I like that. I can see already that you will be one who takes only the best of your kills as a trophy, that's good. While it will mean that you have fewer trophies on your wall, it will also mean that the ones you have are those that you can be proud of." Thwei-de told her approvingly. "Now… since you don't wish to claim anything from these kills, I will show you how to remove their remains, so that they do not stink up my shop while they decompose."

"The first thing you must understand, is that this solvent has no mind of its own. So it doesn't care if what is being dissolved is alive or dead. That is why you must be very careful not to get any of it on you!" Thwei-de instructed as he demonstrated how the solvent was used. "Another thing you must make certain of, is that you are not standing in the spilled blood of the bodies you are disposing of. All organic, and even some inorganic material is dissolved by this, and that includes some metals, so be careful with it!"

The old hunter knew that the solvent wasn't quite as dangerous as he let on, but then it was how every would be hunter was warned, because while the nano-disassemblers in the suspension wouldn't do much damage to living tissue, there would be some injury and burns from it, so it was best to avoid that altogether.

Lilith took the bottle and poured a little of it onto the blood stain that had a bunch of dead space rats in the middle of it. Her eyes shot wide open in disbelief as she watched everything disappear like it was never there. When it was over, all that was left, was the bare stone floor that looked perfectly clean. She stood there for a moment, and stared at the clean floor while she realized just how easy it was going to be to clean up the whole huge mess she and Slobber had made!

Suddenly, Lilith was once again stalking through the shop while eliminating the space rats… but this time, there wasn't anything left when she got done with them! What really blew her mind was that cleaning up the huge mess that seemed to be everywhere was actually a whole lot easier than making that mess in the first place, and just as much fun. She couldn't help the soft little giggle that burbled forth while she worked, because this part was way too easy. A little dab here, a few drops there, and some over in that place. It didn't take very long to clean the whole shop, and she saw that the Predator wasn't kidding when he'd told her that it would get rid of some metals too, because even the 'Rat Chaser' firecrackers were being turned into nothing by the weird looking blue stuff. What felt like a very short time later, Lilith was looking for any spots that she'd missed, and she realized that the only mess left in the shop was… her!

Lilith handed the bottle of blue stuff back to Thwei-de and stepped back away from him. She looked down at herself and just knew that she was now the biggest mess in the shop. She was so messy, covered in green blood, along with the splattered guts and even the brains of dead space rats, that she was pretty sure she hadn't been this filthy when she'd gotten out of the basement! She smiled nervously at the shop keeper and hoped that he wouldn't make her leave for being such a mess, but the Predator only smiled and put the bottle of strange stuff away.

As she turned around, Lilith saw Gwen coming over, and knew that she was going to be in trouble for getting as dirty and filthy as she was. She could see that Gwen had a serious look on her face, and Lilith was trying to think of some way to avoid getting punished.

"Lilith… why did you choose not to keep any trophies from these kills? Are you not pleased with the size of the creatures?" Guan asked in a serious tone with some level of concern in her voice.

Lilith just shook her head and shrugged, because she had no idea how to answer that question or to tell Gwen that she did not want those gross things hanging in her room without actually speaking.

"Well, since you don't seem to want any trophies… are there other things in this shop that you would like?" Guan asked casually.

Guan knew that the playthings that were still in the room had been thrown, hunted, stalked, and even 'killed' more times than it was possible to count by each of her three sons when they were still pups. The playthings were old, and she knew that some of them were nearly worn out, which meant that it was time to replace them. Given that Lilith was ooman instead of Yautja, she thought it was possible that Lilith might prefer something different. She thought about how Lilith had managed to successfully hunt down the tunnel runners using playthings as weapons, so maybe there were things in this shop that Lilith might like, and enjoy. The thought of finally seeing Lilith happy while not under the influence of a chemical made her smile.

"Go! Select the things you like Lilith. I've been intending to get some things for you, and this seems like an excellent time for you to choose what you like." Guan said while still smiling.

Lilith just couldn't believe her ears! She'd fully expected Gwen to be pissed at her for getting as filthy as she was, and that wasn't even thinking about hitting Scar with that Roman Candle… instead, she was being told to pick out some things she wanted. It was unbelievable!

Lilith walked down the isles trying to figure out what she wanted to pick out. There were a lot of things that she didn't even recognize. Some of the stuff, she knew was some kind of tools or something. She looked at a large pipe wrench which was propped next to a couple of black bean bag chairs and some other weird looking tools. She wasn't sure how much Gwen was going to let her get, so she wanted to make sure that she got the important stuff first. She had been down nearly half the isles before she spotted the blue plastic case. She opened the case out of curiosity while hoping that it was what she thought it might be. She couldn't help but grin in delight at the sight of the contents.

Hairbrush, comb, nail clippers, toothbrush, razor, tweezers, and small, travel sized containers of toothpaste, mouthwash, deodorant, shampoo, and a tiny bar of soap were all packed neatly in the case. The inside of the lid had a built in mirror so that she was able to take a good look at her appearance. Her hair was disheveled and dirty. Her face was smudged with black grime that had come from somewhere, and a bunch neon green gore from the space rats she and Slobber had killed. About the only thing she could recognize from her reflection were her blue eyes. Even her shoulder length hair was no longer the solid black which she'd dyed it before leaving the house her parents lived in; instead, it was now tinged with green gore like her clothes.

Lilith turned around to find Gwen watching her, and not sure how many things she could get, she held up the travel grooming kit hopefully.

"Is that the only thing you want from here?" Guan asked doubtfully.

Guan had observed Lilith closely while following her around the shop, and she had seen how the little ooman had spotted several things which might have been selected, but had been reluctantly passed over in favor of the strange case she now held. She looked down at the ooman pup and once again noticed how poorly the coverings fit. Then Guan remembered just how thrilled Lilith seemed to be with the coverings that had been made specifically for her.

'Why would she choose only one thing… unless it's because she doesn't think she's allowed to have much by way of belongings! She's probably never been given anything except the cast off things from someone else. That's why she was so pleased with the coverings I got her.' Guan thought sourly.

"Lilith… don't choose a single item because you think that's all you're allowed to have. If there are things that you feel you need, or simply want… then you are to get them. Do you understand?" Guan said firmly.

Lilith nodded her head, and looked back at the shelves in the store with wide eyes. Then she nearly ran to the counter and set the case on it before going back to the shelves. One of the first things she grabbed was one of the bean bag chairs, because that would be more comfortable than the floor in her room. Walking down the isles, she saw that some of the stuff was still in packaging like it was new, but other things were set out by themselves. Then she saw a cardboard box for paper towels with writing in black marker that said 'Kitchen' on it. Curiously, she opened it up, and saw all kinds of things, like rolling pins, small cutting boards, and salad tongs, but what caught her eye was the set of table ware. Forks, knives, and spoons that she could use to eat with, and not have to use only a spoon like a stupid baby. She grabbed that out of the box and took it to the counter.

Going right back to the same isle, she saw several more of the boxes that were packed like someone was moving to a new house. Some of them were for the living room, hallway, bath room, but then she spotted two that made her smile. Those two boxes were for 'kids room', and 'swimming pool'. She opened the kids box first and saw all kinds of nerf guns, suction cup dart guns, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels cars, and other things. Opening the second box, she saw all kinds of Super Soaker water guns, squirt guns, water balloons, and even some swim floats of different kinds.

Suddenly her eyes lit up with mischievous delight as she thought of what she could do with some of that stuff. She quickly grabbed the nerf guns, pop guns, sucker dart guns, six golf disks that were like super strong Frisbees, and even a whoopee cushion, and stuffed those in with the swimming stuff, before carrying that box over to the counter.

Knowing that the moving boxes had a lot of different things in them, she went back to look at them, and opened one the ones for the master bedroom. The only thing she was interested in were pillows, and those were in the third box she opened. She grabbed the whole box with four pillows in it, and took that to the counter.

When she got to the counter with the box of pillows, the shop keeper was waiting for her with a stern look on his face.

"You'll either have to take both or none." Thwei-de said while pointing at the bean bag. "Both of them came together, and they are a set. I am not separating them, understand?"

Lilith nodded her head and looked over at Gwen to see that she was picking up the second bean bag chair.

"Since she definitely wants one of them, she'll have both. I'm sure that since she knows what to do with one, that she can use the other as well." Guan said as she dropped the weird thing on the floor.

Lilith didn't take long to get over her surprise, after Gwen told her to choose a few more things. She walked down a few of the isles and saw what looked like a small stack of T-shirts. She picked one up and while it was narrow enough to fit her, it was long enough to go down past her knees. Then she saw two pair of pants that were sort of like blue jeans sitting next to them, and picked one of those up. When the pants unfolded, Lilith's mouth dropped open in shock. Even though she had the waist of the pants just below her chest, the legs of the pants were sprawled on the floor. Then her eyes bulged in her head when Gwen picked up the other pair and held the waist out in front of her at eye level to look at them. The legs of the pants were still on the floor!

'Holy crap! How tall was the person these were made for?' Lilith wondered in shock as she stared at the pair that Gwen was holding up.

She knew that the pants wouldn't fit her because they were way too long, but then she got an idea, and held them against her stomach to get an idea of whether or not they were too wide or narrow in the waist. Seeing that they looked about right, Lilith decided that they might work as cut-off shorts. She grinned at the thought of some more clothes that she could wear, and quickly grabbed the shirts to go with them.

When Lilith quickly gathered the strange coverings in her arms, Guan looked down at the pup curiously, and saw that Lilith wanted the ones she had as well. She didn't have the slightest idea what Lilith could want them for, since it was obvious that they wouldn't even come close to fitting her. After all, the strange coverings were even longer than she was tall, and she was nearly double Lilith's height. Still, she handed the strange leg coverings to the ooman anyway, figuring that she'd find out later.

As she wandered through the shop, Lilith wasn't really looking for anything specific, but she was trying to look at everything that was there, because there was a lot of weird stuff in the shop. A yo-yo was sitting between a car jack and a mask that was nearly as tall as she was. That was when she saw it.

Lilith felt her heart nearly stop beating when she had picked it up and seen the expiration date on it. It was a really old 'El Patio' Beef Enchilada TV dinner still unopened and still in the box, but it had spoiled more than forty years ago! The mere thought of how bad this thing was going to stink if it was ever opened nearly made her heart stop. She knew that something had to be done about it, but she wasn't sure of how to tell anyone without actually talking.

Thwei-de could smell the apprehension and even a slight amount of fear on the ooman as she brought something over to him, and carefully sat it down. He was about to ask if she wanted that as well, when the pup pointed at it and shook her head before he could even say anything.

"I take it you know what that is?" He asked casually.

Lilith nodded her head, and acted like she was eating something and enjoying it. Then she pointed at the TV dinner and acted like she was choking.

Thwei-de looked down at the small container as he thought about the ooman pup's actions. He knew just about every item in his shop, and could even give a rough estimate on how long it had been there.

"Are you saying that is supposed to be something to eat?" He asked to clarify the pup's actions. When he saw Lilith nod her head, but then point at the object and again act like she was choking, he thought that he had a much better idea of what the ooman was trying to tell him.

"That was brought in by a Hunter before my nephew was even born, and he is now a Youngblood. If that is supposed to be eaten, then it would have spoiled by now…" Thwei-de broke off what he'd been saying when Lilith began nodding her head emphatically.

"If that thing is even older than Thwei-de-th'syra, and he's older than I am, then that is going to reek if someone opens it!" Setg'in exclaimed after observing what was going on.

Lilith pointed at Scar and nodded her head like she was trying to shake it off her neck.

"I think you're right, and that's what she's trying to tell me. If someone had bought this and opened it, I would be faced with a serious problem. Thank you for that information Little One. I'll put this in the incinerator, so it can't be purchased by mistake." Thwei-de stated as he carried the TV dinner away.

Lilith let out a sigh of relief before going back to looking through the stuff on the shelves and racks. She didn't see or even notice the nods and expressions of approval that followed her. The first thing that caught her attention was a small plastic trash can of something called 'Slime'. It was in a green plastic trash can about the same size as a small can of Folgers coffee, but when she pulled the lid off, it was something that looked like lime green pudding. Out of pure curiosity, she poked at it, only to find that it felt dry, but slightly greasy, very gooey, and really gloppy! This was the kind of stuff that just begged for some really gross practical jokes! She was just glad that it was a bright lime green, because if it had been slightly more yellow in color, she would have sworn that it was snot! She tried to pour a little of it into her hand, and saw that it even flowed as slowly and just as thick as a giant blob of snot! Suddenly she dumped the stuff into her hand, acted like she was sneezing, and turned around to face Gwen with the huge glob of stuff slowly dripping through her fingers!

Guan heard Lilith sneeze, and was sure that it was caused by something that had irritated the sinus cavity. She stepped towards Lilith intending to ask what had caused the reaction, when the ooman turned around. There was a large and very disgusting pile of what appeared to be some kind of mucus in her hand. Instantly Guan was letting out a strangled sound as she tried to control her rebelling stomach at the thought of that much sinus mucus emerging from the mouth. She could only imagine how revolting that must have tasted, and an involuntary shudder passed through her body as another strangled sound was released.

Lilith couldn't help it; Gwen looked so grossed out that it was funny! She started snickering pretty loud, and the more she snickered or giggled, the more grossed out Gwen looked.

"What is she doing?" Thwei-de asked as he approached while trying to figure out what the commotion was about.

Guan turned around to avoid looking at Lilith who was now playing with the disgusting mucus by pouring it from one hand to the other.

"She's… she playing... with her…" Guan stopped talking for a brief moment as she tried to control her rebelling stomach, and keep from vomiting everywhere.

"She's playing with her sinus mucus!" Guan finally blurted out.

"What?" Thwei-de looked over at the ooman pup and saw exactly what the female was talking about. The old shop keeper felt the urge to empty the contents of his stomach, and he quickly looked at one of the shelves in order to avoid looking at the ooman. That was when he spotted the open container. That was when he realized why the ooman was laughing.

"That is not funny, Dah-Kv'var-de! (Little Hunter) It is disgusting, revolting, and hideous! I don't even know why oomans would even make such a substance, but that is one that should never have been made!" Thwei-de snapped angrily. "Not put that stuff back in the container, because I do not wish to see it! I will also tell you that if you do not choose to purchase that stuff, then I will also have that incinerated as well!" Thwei-de growled angrily.

"Are you saying that isn't sinus mucus that she's playing with?" Guan asked in surprise.

"No… it isn't. What she's playing with is an ooman substance that has a small amount of plant material in it, but is otherwise completely synthetic. I haven't the slightest idea what that stuff is supposed to be used for, but it both looks and feels disgusting!" Thwei-de answered irritably.

Lilith only snickered at the shop keeper. She knew that the gross looking Slime was only a toy, and that the only thing it could be used for was to gross someone out, but it was still kind of fun to do. She let the green slime drip from her hand back in to the little trash can with a disgusting plop before she put the lid back on with a snicker. Then she smiled brightly as she carried the container to the counter to set it with the other things she'd found.

As soon as she turned around, Lilith stopped dead in her tracks, because Gwen was right there squatting down in front of her. Lilith froze at the serious and displeased expression on Gwen's face, because she just knew that she was about to get it good.

"Is that disgusting substance an ooman plaything?" Guan demanded firmly.

When Lilith nodded her head hesitantly, Guan continued. "You may get that to play with then, but I do not want you using it in an attempt to make me sick like you just did. That was revolting, and while you might have thought it was funny, I didn't! So don't do that to me again. Understand?"

Lilith nodded her head and watched as Gwen stood up. She was surprised that the Predator hadn't spanked her or even scolded her for what she'd done. It was a big difference from what she was used to.

"Good, now choose a few more things that you can play with, because some of these items look to be interesting." Guan said as she stepped back to allow the ooman female to resume her search.

Lilith headed back to the racks of things and started looking again. There were all kinds of things that she either didn't want or didn't even recognize. She stopped to pick up what had to be an old skateboard that was made before people started doing all kinds of stunts and tricks on them. About two feet long, it was made from some kind of red plastic that was pointed at one end, and had a small kick ramp at the other. She knew that it wouldn't do her any good here, because she didn't know how to ride it. There also weren't any sidewalks or any other place to use the weird looking thing. She put it back on the shelf and saw a small little rack that looked like one of those things that some people kept on their desks in a really fancy office. The difference was that instead of only six metal balls hanging in a line, this one had thirteen of them. Other than that, it looked almost the same. Lilith reached up and pulled a ball on the right back before letting it drop. The instant it hit the others it stopped dead, and the ball on the far side swung out as the momentum was transferred through the metal. She smiled when she saw that this one worked the same way as the ones she used to see on TV.

Guan tilted her head in pure curiosity when she watched those small hanging spheres act the way they did. It was sort of interesting, but very captivating to see. She knew that it was simple inertia at work, but the way it was being used by the strange device, made it seem almost magical in function. She decided then, that if Lilith didn't choose that particular object, that she would get it for herself. Besides, it was definitely better than that last item Lilith had chosen!

Lilith stopped the metal balls from swinging back and forth, when she noticed that the thing was sitting on a memo board. There were already several dozen tacks stuck in the thing, and it was used, but she could still put things on it. She grabbed the cork board with the ball thing on it, and saw that the box underneath was labeled 'Kid's Clothes'.

Lilith froze as she stared at the box in front of her. The memo board and desk toy were still in her hands, but they were forgotten as she stared at the cardboard box. Then she quickly put the cork board on the floor, and pulled the box off the shelf to go through it. As she dug through the box, her hopes rose, and were smashed in a single instant. The box did have girl's clothing, but all of it was too small for her to wear. She pulled out a one piece swimsuit of solid white and looked at it sadly.

'This would have been great for when Thingy started teaching me how to swim… if she really meant it.' Lilith thought as she prepared to stuff the swimsuit back in the box.

Guan could smell the sadness coming from Lilith as the ooman began to put the strange but obviously too small covering back, and realized that it would have been something that Lilith could use. Then she got an idea.

"Go ahead and place that with your other things Lilith. I think that I can get Dachande to use that as a pattern to make one exactly like it so that it will fit you properly." Guan instructed gently.

The look on Lilith's face was one that she was sure contained disbelief before the little female darted over to the counter to put the covering with the other things. It was only then that Lilith returned to get the two items on the floor. That was when Guan realized that Lilith wasn't simply grabbing various playthings to entertain herself, she was trying to get what she actually needed, and that included those strange leg coverings that she was almost sure couldn't be used. Knowing that Lilith possessed almost nothing but the coverings she'd been wearing on her own world, before being brought to live among them, made Guan inclined to indulge the ooman pup a little. Besides, some of the things that were being chosen were interesting to say the least.

When Lilith got back to where Gwen was waiting, she spotted four cylinders that were made of wood with some kind of rope holding them together. They were really cool looking, and the lids that were also made of wood fit perfectly. They were about six inches thick, and about two and a half feet long. She opened one to see what was inside.

Whatever it was looked like it was made out of really small feathers from different birds. She pulled it out of the wooden case and carefully unrolled it. That was when she saw that it was some kind of banner, or hanging that really was made out of small bird feathers!

"All four of those came in from your world at the same time, so they are also a set, and I will not have them sold individually. I don't know what they're for, but they are older than I am, and they go together, so if you get them, you must take all four, understand?" Thwei-de instructed firmly. Although he happened to like this ooman pup, he also had a business to run, and he wasn't going to let his affection for someone ruin that business.

Lilith nodded her head and looked at the strange hanging again. It was some sort of Aztec or Mayan scene with pyramids, temples, and a whole city. The really cool thing about it, was that it was all made out of feathers! That was when she realized that she could hang these on the walls of her room.

'Pictures of pyramids hanging on the walls of a pyramid. That's a pretty cool idea.' Lilith thought as she slid the hanging back into the protective tube. Then, she grabbed all four of them and put them with the other stuff.

Lilith walked down the isles passing up things she didn't want like a soccer ball, or the skateboard, when she spotted the folded up umbrella. It wasn't something she wanted, so she was about to keep going when she saw what was sitting next to it on a stack of boxes. The satchel case was labeled 'Polaroid', and she was quickly sitting on the floor while pulling the case into her lap. When she opened the case, she saw that the instamatic camera was there along with ten packs of film for it. She almost put it back, but then looked over at the pile of things she'd already picked out. Her mouth quirked into a smile because she knew that she'd be able to take some nice pictures with this camera. She started to put everything back into the case when she noticed one of the boxes that the camera had been sitting on. 'Knights of Yore play set complete with sword, scabbard, sword belt and hunting knife, made of soft foam rubber this set is safe for use by ages six and up.' There were six boxes of those toy swords, and Lilith stared at them for several minutes.

'They always have some kind of knives or swords with them! Even when she was taking me to see those doctor friends of hers, Gwen was wearing those mean looking swords in that thing on her wrist. Celtic was wearing a great big knife at dinner the first night I was here. They always have those sword things on their wrists. Even the Things and Thingy have them… so if I get these, maybe I can get one of them to teach me how to use it. If I know how to fight with a sword, then no one could hurt me anymore; I'd never get chained or tied up again!' Lilith thought, before she was quickly grabbing all six of the boxes. She slid the strap of the camera case on her shoulder and hauled the six boxes to the counter to set them on the floor with the rest of the stuff, before taking the strap off her shoulder, and putting the camera down.

Lilith stood there for a moment while looking at the pile of things near the counter, while wondering if she should try to get anything else. She looked down in deep thought and saw one of the spent Rat Chaser firecrackers. That was when she realized that she should get those things as well. Even though she had used them here in the store to kill the space rats, they were still things that the shop keeper had been trying to sell. Besides, she'd already opened, and used a bunch of the stuff, and she'd even messed up some of the things like the baseball bat by getting blood all over it. Then, there was all the marbles that she'd broke. It was only fair to buy that stuff after the way she'd used all of it.

Guan was about to ask if Lilith wanted anything else, when the pup took off running through the shop. She watched in silence as Lilith pulled a box full of things over to the counter before running off again. She saw the pup gather a couple of things and place them in a pair of matching containers. Those containers were then closed up before Lilith brought them over to the counter. Then she saw Lilith gather up the wrist device which had been used to launch the explosives across the floor of the shop, and the strange club, before bringing those over to the counter. Guan was surprised to hear a grunt of approval from her son as Lilith retrieved what had been used, but she fully agreed with the sentiment.

Lilith knew that she'd pretty much gotten everything, but then her eyes fell on one thing that she'd once asked her parents for. It was a huge solid white teddy bear that was almost as tall as she was. She went over and looked at it. Large, and white; it was really fluffy, and even had blue eyes and a ribbon around its neck to match. She remembered asking her daddy to get her a teddy bear just like the one she was now looking at, and she recalled his words at the time.

'Not while I'm alive!'

Lilith remembered the pain she'd felt because of her daddy's tone and voice. At the time, it had been the most horrible thing he'd ever said to her. A week later, she'd been forced into the basement.

Lilith stared at that teddy bear for several moments while tears of hate and pain slowly rolled down her cheeks. She absolutely hated her parents, and she hated herself because of that. Children were supposed to love their parents, not hate them. She knew that it had to be one of the reasons why she was worthless. Suddenly, Lilith was remembering thinking about how it would feel to curl up next to such a huge and soft teddy bear at night. She'd even thought that maybe the dark wouldn't seem so scary if she had such a big thing sharing her bed with her. That maybe the monsters that she just knew were real would be afraid of something that big in her bed. She had thought that a teddy bear like that would help her feel better about some things. She had never gotten the chance to find out.

Now she was stuck on a strange world far from Earth, with Predators who had killed several of the people who had taken her to the South Pole. Predators who looked like monsters. Predators who seemed a lot nicer than her own parents had been. Even the Predator woman who seemed to hate her wouldn't let those space rats hurt her.

Lilith stared at the teddy bear and couldn't help but wonder if everything she remembered would still have happened if her daddy had gotten it for her that day. Would things have been different? Could things have been different? Would she still have been a worthless mistake? She didn't know. Maybe now was a good time to find out. She took a step closer to the big stuffed animal when it was suddenly picked up by someone else.

Guan heard Lilith gasp in what was almost a sound of grief as she picked up what was obviously a plaything. This was the kind of plaything she could recognize, and the way that Lilith was staring at it so intensely told her that it was something that the ooman pup should like. She tucked it under her left arm and reached out with her right hand to guide Lilith back to the counter.

"Come, Little One. This is enough for today. We can come back another time if we need to." Guan said gently as she began to guide the little female to the counter


	16. Honor vs Dishonor

Lilith watched in disbelieving silence while Gwen paid for everything that she'd picked out! She knew that there was a whole ton of stuff there, and that it had to be really expensive, but Gwen didn't seem to be bothered by the cost at all. Once everything was paid for, Gwen turned to her and handed her a small pouch.

"Keep this with you in case you decide that you want to buy something. This is the money that Lar'ja-sain'ja paid for those seeds you recovered from Thwei-de-Nihkou'te's vents." Guan instructed.

"What? You… seem to have made some kind of mistake Honored Warrior. As far as I know, that ooman has never been to my brother's shop, and she got those seeds from my, vents not his!" Thwei-de interrupted slowly.

Guan turned and looked at the shop keeper in confusion.

"My apologies. The mistake is mine. I was so excited yesterday, that I got some things mixed up when I related the events to my mother. After all, how often is it that one receives crafted heat metal in exchange for a simple hunt?" Setg'in put in quickly.

"When you explain it that way, it makes sense. I'd have been excited too." Thwei-de huffed in amusement.

"Then you should now give me their proper names as a form of apology." Guan said firmly.

"This is the honorable shop keeper, and Honored Warrior Thwei-de-thei-de. He is the Elder who began instructing Lilith in the path of the Warrior during her First Hunt. It was his brother Thwei-de-Nihkou'te who gave me the disk and chain of heat metal in exchange for assisting this Elder with an infestation of tunnel runners. I didn't meet Thwei-de-thei-de until I arrived here. I was introduced to his brother Thwei-de-Nihkou'te by my friend Thwei-de-Th'syra who is a Youngblood like myself." Setg'in said formally before turning to the shopkeeper.

"This is my mother, an Honored Warrior and one of the Elders in my Clan, Guan-Kv'var-de." Setg'in said proudly.

"I am honored to meet you Guan-Kv'var-de. Before you ask… I must say that I am very pleased with the results of this hunt. Not only have I been privileged to meet an ooman for the first time, and learn first hand just cunning they truly are, but I have also been honored to supervise, and teach her during her First Hunt. You have my deepest thanks for allowing them to come here." Thwei-de said formally.

"I was glad to send Setg'in and Bakuub along, but I am not pleased to see that Lilith was injured, because I didn't allow her to come here for a hunt, let alone the cleansing that this turned into. Still, I thank you for supervising her First Hunt in my absence." Guan replied just as formally.

"As I said, it was both an honor, and a privilege. I must also add that it was a learning experience for me as well… that little ooman is highly intelligent, and very cunning to have improvised the way she did." Thwei-de stated with no small amount of pride in his tone, before a very serious expression crossed his features.

"There is the matter of her anger though. The Little Ooman Hunter has as much anger as an entire hive of Kainde Amedha! That level of rage means that she should be watched, because whatever the motivation behind that anger, it can cloud her judgment and reasoning… and that will put her life in danger." Thwei-de continued seriously.

"Your warning is appreciated, but also unnecessary. I am well aware of the rage that dwells within her, and though she chooses not to speak, she is quite capable of making her anger apparent. I think it's possible that her anger is a result of being mistreated by bad-bloods for the past several years…" Guan began.

"You mean tortured, don't you? I've seen those scars that adorn the pup's back! There are more than forty thousand of them! That many scars do not result from mere mistreatment." Thwei-de returned sternly.

"You're right… they don't. What exactly transpired during her ordeal isn't fully known at this time. I will say that three of the best healers available have become involved…" Guan broke off at the sudden sound of an angry gasp from Lilith.

Lar'ja-sain'ja's eyes narrowed beneath her mask when she heard the seemingly ridiculous number that had been literally hurled by the shop keeper. She stepped forward and pulled up the ooman's covering to see the condition of the pup's back for herself.

Her mandibles tightened in anger at the sight that met the ultra violet vision of her mask. Even through the coating of medical paste, there were countless scars still visible. "This only proves what I've been saying for years… there aren't any oomans who have any honor!"

"That is where you would be mistaken Elder. My brothers and I encountered Lilith in a Temple of Passage while we were on our Chiva. We didn't know it at the time, but she was severely injured. Two of her ribs were broken, and five more were cracked. Even so, without armor, and equipped with a blade so small that it doesn't even deserve to be called a knife, she still attacked a Drone to save my brother's life. Her first attack was to use the weight of her own body as a weapon to spoil the drone's tail strike." Setg'in said before he started chuckling.

"If that weren't enough, she then used that pathetically small blade to stab the drone after sneaking up on it. If she didn't possess any honor, then she wouldn't have risked her own life to save that of my brother…" Setg'in had been about to say more, but he was cut off by a loud snarl of anger from Lilith who finally managed to escape the Predator's grasp.

Although she wasn't all that familiar with ooman facial expressions, she was certain that the look currently on the pup's face was meant to convey the purest hatred, and anger imaginable. Lar'ja-sain'ja could easily smell the rage coming off the ooman pup. She watched as the little female huffed angrily while pulling her top covering back down to where it should be. Then the pup suddenly lunged forward to shove at her lower stomach with both hands and a snarl of rage before stepping back and bumping into Guan.

Although she wasn't prepared for such a brazen move or challenge, the only effect of the pup's push was to make her place one foot behind her to keep her balance. Lar'ja-sain'ja was about to respond to the challenge of this insolent ooman when she was stopped by a loud snarl of barely contained anger from Guan-vor'mekta.

"You might choose to question her honor, but if you wish to keep yours then you will be very careful because I will warn you only once… do not expose her in such a way again! Especially in the presence of males!"

"My apologies Honored Warrior. I… also apologize to you… Lilith." She said sincerely, after realizing what she'd just done. Even though she was still angry, she knew that the ooman female had been fully justified in her actions.

"I was… surprised… by such a high number being thrown out like that, and had to see for myself whether or not it was an exaggeration." Lar'ja-sain'ja added more calmly.

"I can assure you that it was no exaggeration, and according to a medical scan, they were all received at the same time a few years ago. As I said earlier, I don't know everything that transpired to scar her in such a way, but she will not endure such things again! She is under my care and protection now." Guan said firmly.

Lar'ja-sain'ja looked from the Yautja female down to the ooman female pup who was clearly angry enough to kill and was bristling with barely contained rage. The sight of such obvious hostility and anger made her own anger rise again. "Do not mistake my apology for sympathy… Lilith. I will not disregard any kind of a challenge from you. Is that understood?"

Guan was about to respond to that remark when Lilith snarled angrily and turned her back to the female while looking around quickly. Guan had no time to react as it happened. The angered, and now insulted Yautja female lunged forward with a growl to grab Lilith's shoulder, while at the same time, Lilith snatched Guan's knife from its sheath on her leg. Even as Lar'ja-sain'ja spun Lilith around to face her, Lilith responded by using the force of the spin to stab the female just above her knee.

As soon as she felt the knife sink into the angry Predator's leg, the woman had let her go, so Lilith stepped back and dropped into a crouching stance. She was ready to dodge in any direction so she could try to stab this bitch again.

She'd had enough! Four years of being locked and tied in a basement while getting beaten who knew how many times, and now this Predator wanted to beat her some more? That was so not going to happen!

'Bring it on bitch! I'm not getting any more beatings without a fight!' Lilith thought angrily.

Lar'ja-sain'ja had barely felt being stabbed, but she had let the ooman go when she spotted the weapon in the pup's hand. Suddenly she felt her blood run cold as a thrill of absolute fear shot through her entire body. That fear came from not one, but two distinct and very dangerous growls. The first growl was coming from behind her, and she knew that it was the Yaut Hound was making it. The other and much more frightening sound was coming from Guan! It was that very distinctive and very terrifying growl that could only be made by a female… a female prepared to defend a pup!

Knowing that her very life was now at stake, Lar'ja-sain'ja did the only thing she could to prevent from being mutilated and killed by a female in the throws of Bearer's Rage; she carefully moved into an upright stance and lowered her head while spreading her hands at her sides. It was a position of total submission, and she fervently hoped that she could somehow escape this mess alive.

Lilith was so focused on the Predator in front of her that she wasn't really paying any attention to Gwen. But then she realized what she was hearing, and she knew that the scary as hell growl was coming from Gwen. That was when she realized that Gwen was pissed, so Lilith dropped the knife and darted down the nearest aisle. She wasn't thinking at all as she slid under one of the racks, or she would have gone into the vents where none of the Predators could get to her. All she really knew at that point was that Gwen was scaring the living hell out of her with that growl, and she wanted nothing to do with it!

It wasn't the sound of her knife hitting the floor, but the sight of Lilith darting away from the possible fight that snapped Guan back to her senses. She let out a short bark of anger at the cause of the problem and immediately followed Lilith. Her keen sense of smell easily allowed her to follow the scent, and she knelt down to peer beneath the rack where Lilith was hiding.

The acrid scent of Lilith's fear was over whelming, and Guan had to struggle with the rage that threatened to return because of that scent. She wasn't entirely successful in suppressing the growl, and her eyes widened in shock when Lilith's reaction was to scramble further away from her while the strength of the scent increased. She closed her eyes while she fought for control. Then she looked at the cowering pup.

"Lilith you can come out from under there now." Guan said as calmly as she could manage.

Lilith knew that Gwen was pissed. Pissed? Hell… Gwen was so far gone that she'd have to calm down a lot to be just pissed! She knew why too. She remembered being told to never tough the weapons or armor of anyone else for any reason, and she'd taken Gwen's knife and stabbed someone. Now she was really going to be in for it! She shook her head and backed away towards the far side of the rack. That was when Gwen reached towards her and she scrambled out the other side only to be snatched up by a pair of strong hands.

When she saw that Lilith wasn't going to cooperate with her in the slightest, Guan reached out to reassure the pup. Lilith seemed to want none of it, because she quickly moved out the other side. That was when Guan saw her get picked up by someone else.

Guan was on her feet and around the rack instantly. No sooner did she see that it was the other female who had Lilith, than the pup was abruptly thrust into her arms while the female backed away swiftly.

"With respect Honored Warrior… I think Lilith is just as frightened of your anger as the rest of us." Lar'ja-sain'ja said as she kept backing away.

As soon as the female had moved to follow the ooman pup, the Youngblood that she'd encountered earlier had gotten control over the Yaut Hound. That had been a huge relief to Lar'ja-sain'ja because she knew that she didn't have the proper weapons to fight a Yaut Hound to begin with, and fighting one that attacked from behind would be next to impossible under the best conditions.

Glad that she wouldn't be mangled and killed from behind, Lar'ja-sain'ja looked towards where the ooman female had gone. She saw Guan almost laying on the floor as the Warrior tried to get the ooman to come to her, but the scent of Lilith's fear was so strong at that moment that she could even smell it from where she was standing. She walked a few steps to look at the other aisle and saw the ooman pup squirming out from under the rack in that direction. That was when she understood what the problem was. She moved quickly as she grabbed the ooman and immediately shoved the pup into the arms of the approaching female, before backing away.

Lar'ja-sain'ja positively hated oomans, but she knew better than to make herself the target of any female defending a pup. That was nothing more than suicide! Even though she truly hated oomans because of what had happened to her only child to survive the Chiva, there was no way she was going to be killed because of an ooman. She was very relieved to see that once Guan had the ooman pup in her arms, that the rather muscular female began to calm down.

"Do not threaten her again! You were the one to commit a disgraceful action against her. One that was highly disrespectful as well. She responded as anyone would have done…" Guan growled angrily.

"You're right. This incident was caused by me, and I apologize for it. I will not expose her again." Lar'ja-sain'ja agreed quickly. "This incident should never have happened, and I apologize for causing it."

"Very well." Guan allowed in a still irritated tone, as she headed back towards the counter.

She smelled the increase in Lilith's fear as she knelt down to retrieve her knife. She swiped the blood off on her leg and sheathed it in a single expert move, before turning her attention to the ooman being held against her left side. A glance at her son and the shop keeper showed that they and the other Youngbloods were all near the entrance and ready to leave quickly. She understood their reasons for it. Bearer's Rage was nothing to joke about, and this made the second time in two days that she'd been ready to give in to that rage. Guan knew that there were many Yautja who would dislike or even hate oomans, because of that race's penchant for dishonor, but she'd never have believed that such feelings of hatred would be directed at a mere pup.

"You may rest easy now Lilith. None will harm you while I can prevent it." Guan said firmly.

Lilith was sure that she was in serious trouble. She remembered what Gwen had told her about not touching someone else's weapons, and she'd taken Gwen's knife and stabbed someone. Gwen wasn't saying anything right then, but Lilith was sure that when they got back to the house, that Gwen was going to let her have it big time!

Guan couldn't fault Lilith for being quick to defend herself. Granted, she wasn't at all happy about Lilith using her knife without permission, but the whole incident was one that should never have happened. She quickly took a deep breath and let it out slowly while she took a moment to calm down.

Once her anger subsided, Guan stepped up to the counter to finish conducting her business. The shop keeper was tense and wary as he observed her with a watchful eye while he stepped behind the counter.

"How do you want to accept possession of these goods?" Thwei-de asked apprehensively.

Thwei-de-thei-de was no Youngblood, and he was certainly no fool. He knew very well that the female in front of him was readily dangerous. The physical effects of 'Bearer's Rage' were well known to those who had read the records. The surge of adrenalin that provided a tremendous amount of strength to the general musculature also caused the vocal cords to relax a great deal. That relaxation of the larynx was what caused the voice and growl of a female to deepen dramatically. The strange thing about it, was that no female was ever able to duplicate such a deep tone without that level of anger, and he knew it. He could still smell the ooman pup's fear, as well as the residual anger of the female holding that ooman. Add in the fact that the pup was currently injured, and it was apparent that it wouldn't take much at all to set this female off again… and this time, he didn't think that she'd be so easily calmed.

"I would like to have them delivered to my home." Guan answered in a much calmer tone before giving out the location of where she lived.

"Very well. That is easily arranged." Thwei-de answered with obvious relief, before he entered the details of where the goods were to be delivered into his wrist computer.

"There. Your purchases will be delivered just after the mid-day meal. I should inform you that there are other Souvenir and Curiosity shops in this city, just as there are in all cities. Lilith might find other items among those wares that I don't have." Thwei-de offered helpfully.

"Thank you. I may examine them at another time. For now, I have other matters to attend to." Guan answered before turning to leave.

Lilith knew that she was going to be in trouble, and she was positive that she was going to get a beating before the day was over. The only thing that knowledge accomplished was to force her to think about something else, so she looked at the pile of things Gwen had just paid for. When her eyes landed on the two fireplace sets, she remembered that Gwen only had the one fireplace in the living room. A brief struggle got Gwen to let her down, and she picked up one of the sets. Then she walked around the counter to where the shop keeper was standing. She could see that he had a fire already going behind him, and thought that this might be a good chance to make at least one friend on this world full of Predators.

Lilith walked over to the fireplace that was only half as big as the one in Gwen's living room, and started pulling the things out of the box. She used the poker to stir the coals up until there were small flames leaping up from the wood. She swept up the ashes and dumped them in the fire, before putting the screen in place. That was when she set up the stand, and put the poker, broom and dust scoop on it. Then she stepped back to look at her handy-work. She had to admit that even though the set wasn't fancy, and was just a plain old black; that it still looked nice.

Turning around, Lilith intended to leave, but found the whole path behind the counter blocked by the Predators who were looking at what she'd done. The shop keeper, Scar, along with all three of his friends, Gwen, and even that grumpy broad was there looking at the fireplace set. Lilith couldn't step back without getting burned by the fire, and she knew very well what getting burned by a small cigarette felt like, so there was no way she was going to take a step backwards to feel what a full sized fire would do. She sidled a little to her left while watching all of the Predators warily.

Then, even as she was getting more apprehensive and nervous with each passing second, Gwen stepped forward and picked her up.

"I wouldn't have believed that an ooman had enough honor to do such a thing." Lar'ja-sain'ja said quietly.

"After what I have seen from this little ooman pup… there is nothing about Lilith's honor that surprises me! I know that she has even faced The Dark Hunter in order to atone for the dishonor of others. If that and her actions here this day are not enough to convince you of her honor, then you are allowing yourself to be blinded by hatred." Guan said before turning her attention to the ooman she held.

Guan thought of one more method to display Lilith's honor, and she did so with no hesitation. "Did you intend for him to keep those items?"

Lilith nodded her head nervously. She knew that Gwen had only paid for the stuff that she'd just given away a few minutes ago, but she really didn't have anything of her own, and she felt like she owed the shop keeper because of the things he'd taught her. She was sure that he didn't have to teach her anything, but he had, and there was one ideal Lilith was a staunch believer in… that ideal was 'pay-back'. If someone did something to you, or for you, then there had to be some kind of pay-back! It was just how things worked.

Lilith looked at Gwen in surprise when the Predator holding her started purring! She'd been positive that Gwen would be angry about the fireplace set, but instead, she seemed to be almost happy about it being given away. That was when she noticed that a couple of other Predators were also purring.

"Did someone tell you to give him something?" Lar'ja-sain'ja demanded sourly.

Lilith shook her head while she tried to figure out what was going on. She watched in her typical silence as the grouchy Predator turned and walked away.

"You did well, Little One. Out of the few possessions I've gotten you, you gave your teacher something that is useful in exchange for what he taught you during your First Hunt. It was an honorable thing to do." Guan purred before she turned to leave the shop with Lilith still in her arms.

Guan walked out of the shop while being followed by her son, and Bakuub. She paused with Lilith tucked safely in her left arm, and growl a total disgust left her when she saw that it had begun to rain.

Guan was not at all happy at that moment. She'd shown up at the shop intending to watch Setg'in finish off the tunnel runners. Instead, she found herself watching Lilith finish off a complete cleansing of the full nest! Such a thing would have been a truly impressive feat for a Yautja pup of the same size, but given that Lilith was physically weaker than that Yautja pup, only made it more astounding. Still, after an exhausting morning of seemingly endless questions posed by her Clan's Ancients and Elders, the cold rain only added to her irritation.

Guan growled in disgust again, while she directed an angry glare at the sky. Then, the ooman in her grasp made to get down. "On top of everything else that's occurred today, it's now raining!" She said disgustedly.

Lilith didn't understand why Gwen was unhappy about the rain. At least it wasn't the freezing cold stuff she remembered back before her time in the basement. Then she remembered what she'd seen in the shop, and squirmed to get down.

"I will let you down, but you must hold my hand or Setg'in's… understand?" Guan insisted irritably.

Lilith nodded her head so that Gwen would put her down, and as soon as she was loose, she darted back inside the store. She ran straight to where she thought she'd remembered seeing it, but she was apparently on the wrong aisle. Instead of the thing she wanted, she found herself staring at a fishing pole sitting next to a kite made to look like a giant bat. Seeing that there wasn't any string to go with the kite, she turned and started to walk away to find what she'd come back in for. Then, she turned and looked at the fishing pole again. There was a huge open face fishing reel on it.

'I wonder how high that kite would go if I was using that instead of regular string.' Lilith thought idly while staring at the fishing reel. Suddenly, she smiled, and grabbed the pole and the kite, before looking for what she'd originally come back in for. She found it on the next aisle. She grabbed the sought after object and ran up to the counter. She quickly reached up to put all three items on the counter, and then put the pouch of money on the counter as well. She watched on her tip toes to see over the counter as the shop-keeper selected the desired amount of money, and put the rest back in the pouch before handing it back to her.

Lilith put the pole and kite on the pile of stuff that was going to be delivered, and grabbed the stuffed thing-a-ma-jig off the floor, before turning to head back outside. As soon as she turned towards the door, she saw Gwen standing there and already a little wet. Lilith smiled as she moved past Gwen and went outside. Lilith watched and as soon as Gwen followed her outside, she made a motion to be picked up.

Guan lifted Lilith into her arms and settled the ooman pup against her left side. As soon as the little female was securely held, she prepared to leave, but stopped when Lilith began to snicker. Suddenly, the strange thing in Lilith's left hand extended to nearly three times its length. Then it quickly expanded with a loud 'popping' sound. The result was that Lilith was now holding a very strange thing in her hand. That was when Lilith raised the thing over their heads to form a type of small shelter from the rain.

Guan tilted her head back to stare in slack jawed disbelief at what Lilith had just purchased. It was obvious that the little ooman had known exactly what this thing was, because she had gone almost straight for it. She could hear the pattering sound as the rain drops impacted on the strange device instead of landing on her. Then, Lilith was handing the device to her before moving to get down again. Guan put Lilith down and watched the female closely.

Lilith had the stuffed critter in her left hand when she closed her eyes, spread her arms, and lifted her face to the sky. She could feel every drop of the slow but steady rain as she reveled in the feeling. Pleasant drops of rain were landing on her face and body. The rain was cool, but only enough to feel really good instead of cold, and it felt wonderful! She twirled around a couple of times then stood in place while savoring the feeling for a moment, before looking over at Gwen. The Predator was holding the umbrella overhead while watching her.

Guan watched in surprised silence while Lilith cavorted happily in the rain. She knew that it was only slightly lower than the ooman's body temperature, so it was most likely something that Lilith was able to enjoy. She glanced back up at the device she was holding over her head and realized something that made her wonder.

'Lilith is actually enjoying the rain. Instead of finding it to be uncomfortably cold, she seems to be happy in it. So why would she have purchased this device?' Guan wondered while she watched Lilith.

Guan knew that Lilith had to be highly intelligent for her small size, much more so than Yautja pup of the same size would be. It was Lilith's size that turned out to be a contributing factor in the way the pup was treated at first. A Yautja pup of Lilith's size was rambunctious, impulsive, reckless, and immature. They had yet to learn the reasoning that certain things could be, or were, dangerous, and that was why they were well protected by all. Lilith presented a drastically different problem. In spite of her refusal to speak, she was very intelligent, and more than able to determine whether or not something could be a threat to her.

'She would have to be very intelligent, and extremely cunning to have survived the Chiva that she found herself in. There's also the way she just finished dealing with those tunnel runners. She cleansed an entire nest of them, and she did it with playthings! Then, there's this device I'm using. She's making it obvious that she doesn't need the device, but she bought it anyway.' Suddenly Guan's eyes narrowed in suspicion as she stared at Lilith once more.

'She bought this for me! She heard my comment about the rain, and went back to get this thing. She has almost nothing that hasn't been given to her, and then she spends money that she earned through blood and pain to buy this so I wouldn't have to endure a simple rain.' Guan realized in shock. 'If that isn't a display of honor, then I don't know what is!'

"Come Lilith, I don't know if you're hungry or not, but I am, and there is a place to eat not far from here. That will give us some time to relax and enjoy our mid-day meal before we go home. It will also give Thwei-de-thei-de time to have everything delivered." Guan said as she began leading the way.

Lilith stared at Gwen's departing back in surprise. Gwen didn't say anything about having to hold her hand like she had before. She'd just been told to go along. She quickly moved to catch up to the Predator, and reached up to grab Gwen's hand like she had been told earlier. Lilith didn't want to be treated like a baby, in fact… she despised it! But the sudden idea that occurred to her was something she couldn't get out of her mind.

'What if not always doing what I was told is what made me so worthless? If I start doing what Gwen tells me to, could that let me stop being a worthless mistake?' Lilith didn't know the answer to that, but she did know that she wanted to at least try.

Lilith had just taken Gwen's hand when the Predator stopped walking and squatted down while facing her.

"Lilith, I know that you aren't stupid. Reckless perhaps, but certainly not stupid. I don't know of anyone else who would have gotten a group of tunnel runners to kill off members of their own nest while hunting them. It was an extremely clever tactic, and a very useful strategy. I commend you for that. Another thing I must congratulate you for is being intelligent enough to use playthings as weapons while hunting those tunnel runners. Such a thing shows cunning, intelligence, and the ability to adapt to the situation. Such traits are the mark of great potential in a Warrior." Guan said while facing Lilith.

Guan took a deep breath and slowly released it before continuing what she wanted to say. "I am telling you this, because I know that you are intelligent enough to stay nearby. I know that you don't like being made to hold on to the hand of the adult who is with you. I insisted on that because I wasn't sure about your level of intelligence. Now I am. You don't have to hold my hand if you don't wish to, but I will say that it makes me feel better to know that you are near and safe from harm. Does that make sense?"

Lilith nodded her head, because she did understand what Gwen was telling her. It was strange though, because at the time, all she was thinking about was killing those space rats. She didn't think she was being smart about it, and she hadn't been trying to be. All she'd been doing was killing them because of the way she'd been hurt so many times while locked and chained in the basement. What she had actually wanted at the time was revenge… revenge against her parents for hurting her so many times, for making her freeze in the cold all the time, for making her stay so hungry that she didn't care that whatever scraps they gave her was thrown into her own shit or piss… but mostly what she wanted revenge against her parents for; was for making her hate them so much.

Lilith knew that kids weren't supposed to hate their parents, but she did. That hatred was just one more thing that was wrong with her. She knew that she didn't hate Gwen or any of her family, but then, they weren't hurting her either. Sure she'd gotten mad at Scar a few times, and she'd even gotten mad at Gwen a couple of times, but she didn't hate them.

Being here with these Predators on their world was a whole lot different from being in the basement. Here, she wasn't getting beaten, she wasn't being hurt all the time, she was being given plenty to eat, and she didn't have to be cold. Lilith looked into Gwen's deep-set yellow eyes and nodded her head again. Worthless or not, she knew that she had to do something to pay Gwen back somehow, and the only thing she could think of was to try to be good. That meant she needed to do what Gwen told her. It didn't really sound like much, but Lilith knew that it wasn't always easy. She kept holding onto Gwen's hand as the Predator stood up and started walking again.

As they walked to wherever it was they were going, Lilith noticed that there were a few trails that branched off and went in different directions. Some were trails that went to one of the pyramids, but most went between them. There weren't any street signs or any other way to tell where they were that she could see, so how did Gwen know where to go?

It wasn't until Slobber shook her head to get the water off, that Lilith noticed it was still raining. She looked up and saw that Gwen was holding the umbrella so it covered both of them. That was a little irritating, because the rain felt pretty good. She pulled her hand out of Gwen's and walked closer to Slobber. The first thing the big beast did was lick her across the face. Lilith sputtered indignantly, and wiped her face with her sleeve.

"You know, Lilith. Bakuub would actually listen if you told her not to lick you anymore." Setg'in offered casually although in an amused tone when he saw a chance to get Lilith to say something at least.

Lilith looked over at Scar and gave him a very wet raspberry while patting Slobber on her head. Then she saw a puddle a short distance in front of the Predator, and got a sneaky idea. She quickly ran in front of him, and waited until he got closer. Then she jumped up, and stomped in the puddle with both feet to make as big a splash as she could. Scar roared at being splashed and Lilith simply stuck her tongue out at him before going back over to walk next to Gwen, and Slobber.

Guan couldn't resist a soft snicker of laughter when she saw Lilith's response to Setg'in's teasing comment. In spite of the injury she'd received from a tunnel runner only a short while earlier, Lilith seemed to be enjoying herself. As far as she was concerned that could only be a good sign of things to come. She would readily admit that Lilith's behavior was often perplexing, and sometimes just downright strange. Then there were other times, that the ooman pup's behavior, was so similar to that of a Yautja pup, that she had a hard time remembering that Lilith was ooman.

Lilith had been about to reach up to hold Gwen's hand again, when the Predator suddenly stopped and raised her left arm to start fiddling with that thing on her wrist. She had no idea what it was, but if those weird looking helmets were any clue of what that thing might do, then she wanted nothing to do with it. She watched in wary curiosity while Gwen did whatever she was doing, and waited until Gwen was done before taking the Predator's hand again.

As they walked to where they were going, Lilith looked up at the dusky orange sky to see dark red clouds filling most of it. She could see the rain falling in large patches that were off in the distance, but she couldn't see the beginning or end of the patch that was falling on her. It was kind of weird, and cool at the same time. Being able to look at the sky, and see that it was raining over there, wherever that was, but not in that other place was pretty cool. She hadn't had enough school to understand exactly how the weather actually worked, but looking at it this way, was awesome.

Lilith didn't hold Gwen's hand the entire time they were following one of the trails. Instead, she would let go, so she could frolic and enjoy the rain that would cool her off just a little. It was a nice change in that if she wanted to look at something or stop for a moment, she could. She found it strange since now that she wasn't being forced to hold Gwen's hand, she actually sort of liked doing it. Maybe it because she now had the choice, or maybe it was because it made her feel just a little less worthless. Either way, she somehow felt almost like a normal kid while holding the Predator's hand.

Lilith's attention was drawn back to Gwen, when they turned off what she thought of as the main trail, and onto one of those the led straight to a rather large pyramid. This one was bigger than most of the others. Even though it only had three floors, those floors were huge! Gwen could have put the entire pyramid that she lived in on top of this one and still have room for a good sized yard all the way around!


	17. Trouble in Mess Hall

Author's Notes: I'm sorry for taking so long, but real life gets in the way sometimes. I'm hanging in there, and I am still working on this. I discuss a lot of ideas with Khalthar, and we try to work together to make this story something that is worth reading. Even as I post this, the next chapter has already been started. I won't make any promises on when I can post though… the best takes time, and that what this story is getting… my best!

Once they went inside, Lilith gawked around in sheer disbelief! This place was like a school room cafeteria on drugs! She would swear that it was four super-sized lunchrooms stuck together in to one huge dinner hall. She could see that there were fireplaces scattered everywhere, and there were a lot of Predators in here eating. After staring around stupidly for a moment, she followed Gwen over to a table where Scar quickly took a seat. She could see that Gwen had even figured out how to close the umbrella, and had it in some kind of leather pocket or pouch on her left thigh. Gwen then told Slobber to lie beside the table and stay there.

"Just wait here, Lilith. I'll return with a seat for you," Guan instructed before she headed to the back of the huge cafeteria.

Lilith watched as Scar took a seat on the other side of the table, and Lilith was about to climb in to the chair across from him when she heard a voice behind her.

"What do you want in exchange for that pathetic and stupid ooman?"

"First, her name is Lilith, and she is not pathetic, or stupid! Second, she's only a pup, so beware your words… Unblood," Setg'in warned dangerously.

"I couldn't possibly care any less about the ooman's gender or name. If it's still a pup, then I'll keep the stupid thing until it isn't a pup, then I'll turn it loose, and hunt it for the skull. So all I care about is the price."

When she heard the second statement from behind her Lilith turned and looked to see who it was. This Predator wasn't even as tall as Scar, and didn't have anywhere near the muscles that Scar had either. She knew from seeing several other Predators, and from hearing Scar himself, that he was kind of scrawny for a Predator. But the one in front of her, with light green skin, and a yellow belly wasn't much taller than she was, and that made him a serious runt!

'As short as he is, I wouldn't have any problems racking him a good one,' Lilith thought vindictively as she glared at the Predator.

"Let me tell you something Unblood! I don't know who you are, and I don't care who you think you are. It is forbidden for an Unblood to journey to the ooman world for a hunt. Lilith isn't available at any price, so if you want an ooman trophy, I suggest that you focus on surviving your Chiva first!" Setg'in answered firmly as he flared his dreadlocks and mandibles in silent warning.

"If it's already here, then I won't need to go to the ooman world, now will I? Besides, that thing won't be a pup forever, and I can wait until it's old enough to hunt, and collect my trophy then," came the smug reply.

"Speak such things about my pup that I've accepted into my home again, and I will be collecting your skull Unblood!" Guan said in a deep menacing growl from behind the much smaller male. "If there's anything left of it when I get through with you."

Lilith actually snickered loudly as the Predator hastily stepped back away from Gwen, and made to leave the area completely. Gwen dropped the booster chair into the seat, and quickly started looking her over, and Lilith wasn't too happy about the examination.

"Did he get the chance to harm her?" Gaun demanded of her son as she examined Lilith for injuries.

"He never touched her. If he had… I'd have killed him," Setg'in replied in angry confidence.

Lilith wasn't really paying any attention to what was being said, because she was watching the other Predator go into the bathroom. She huffed in irritation as Gwen picked her up and stuck her in that damned booster chair which she was really beginning to hate.

Lilith twisted around in her chair until she was looking at the bathroom door. Suddenly, she got a mischievous idea, and turned back to Gwen with a sly grin. She held up her hand in a signal to wait, and slid out of her chair.

Hopping out of the booster chair, Lilith sprawled on the floor when she landed. She quickly sprang to her feet, darted over to the bathroom, and stood by the door, listening carefully. When she heard the sounds of the jerk taking a dump, Lilith grinned in delight. Her eyes darted around to make sure no one was close enough to stop her. Then, she tucked in her lips, put both palms against her mouth, and began to blow… hard!

Somehow, the way the huge cafeteria was built made the already loud farting noise seem even louder! The harder she blew, the harder she pressed her hands against her mouth. The result was a staggered and broken up noise that had all of the Unbloods in the hall laughing loudly. There were even quite a few Youngbloods in the hall that still had the sick sense of humor that accompanied their youth, and they too had begun to laugh raucously.

Lilith stood there, going through one breath after another, until she heard the sound of the weird toilet being flushed. She quickly stopped what she was doing and ran back to her seat, which she immediately climbed into. She looked over at Gwen who was staring at her with disgust clear in her expression when the bathroom door opened, and the male Unblood came out. Lilith twisted to her left in her seat to watch him closely.

"That… that wasn't me," Th'syra-thwei said softly when he saw that everyone in the dinning hall was looking at him.

Lilith immediately clapped a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing at the obviously embarrassed Predator.

Setg'in was about to say something when a rather large male, almost as big as Hulij-bpe walked over to the waste closet with a curious tilt to his head.

With the door still open, the larger male stuck his head in and quickly pulled it back out while fanning his face. "Are you sure that wasn't you? Because there's no one else in there, although it smells like a whole pack of Ancients just emptied their bowels."

"But… but it wasn't me," the unblood stammered softly in humiliation.

""If it wasn't you… then who could it have been? Because there is still no one else in there," the Warrior asked in a tone of apparent confusion.

"I don't know who it was… but I didn't do it!" the unblood yelled in protest.

"Well it sure sounded like that unbelievable noise came from here. So what could have caused it?" the Warrior persisted.

"I don't know … but it wasn't me!" the unblooded male finished in a shout of shame before running from the cafeteria.

A thoroughly satisfied snickering laugh emerged from Lilith as she watched the overgrown jerk leave in a hurry. The smirk on her face said it all. She couldn't have planned for that to go any better than it had. She had no idea who this Predator was, but he had sure done a number on that jerk who had wanted to buy her for some stupid reason. Then, she saw that the strange Predator was coming over to their table. Lilith smiled brightly and shot him a 'thumbs up' while nodding her head in approval.

Chi'ytei-de-thei (Embrace of Death) stopped and stared at the ooman who was baring her teeth at him. He'd overheard every comment that had been made regarding this ooman pup, but he still wasn't going to allow a female pup to challenge him in such a way… especially after he'd just helped her to be rid of a very arrogant individual.

"Is that ooman creature challenging me?" He demanded suspiciously.

"No she isn't. When I was imprinted with one of the primary ooman languages a few days ago, I learned that the face she is making is an ooman expression of pleasure or happiness. Given the way she's acting, I think she appreciates your actions just now," Guan answered readily.

Lilith quickly nodded her head while pointing at Gwen with her left thumb.

Chi'ytei-de-thei nodded his head briefly to the ooman before turning his attention to Setg'in. "I see you've passed your Chiva… how did it go?"

"Very different from what was expected. My brothers and I returned with one skull each. We might have claimed more, but some oomans took a pup into the Temple of Passage with them…" Setg'in began.

"What? Why would they be so dishonorable as to take a pup with them?" Chi'ytei-de-thei interrupted in surprise.

"I don't know, but as soon as we learned of Lilith's presence, we did what we could to protect her," Setg'in said as he indicated Lilith. "Things could have gone better, but they could have gone much worse too."

Chi'ytei-de-thei glanced at Lilith, before looking back at Setg'in. "If this is the ooman pup who was in the Temple, then what's she doing here?"

"Join us, and I'll explain," Setg'in said before looking over at his mother. "This is my mother, Guan-kv'var-de. Mother, this is one of my former class mates, and a good friend of mine, the Blooded Warrior Chi'ytei-de-thei."

"I am honored to meet you Chi'ytei-de-thei," Guan said as she instantly appraised the Warrior.

Lilith was also looking at the Predator. She thought that he was almost as tall as Thingy, but she couldn't be sure, because she'd never seen them together. The strange thing was the way his muscles stood out. He wasn't exactly 'Arnold' pumped, but it was like there wasn't any fat on him at all. His skin was a very dark grey that faded to a light grey on his stomach. That light grey was almost perfectly matched by the color of his armor, and it made him look really good. The only decoration that he wore was a necklace made of inch long teeth from something or other that was the color of smoky steel.

"I would have to say that the honor is mine, Guan-kv'var-de. Setg'in has said much about you. There aren't a great many females who actively hunt, and fewer still who have the skull of an abomination among their trophies," Chi'ytei-de-thei said in a respectful tone.

Lilith suddenly felt her blood run cold while at the same time; a chill ran down her spine as she finally realized what that one Predator had wanted her for.

'He wanted to chase me down, and kill me just like Scar and the others did with the people in the pyramid. He wants to kill me for my skull!' She thought as she glared at the doorway to the cafeteria. In one way, she never wanted to see him again, but in another, she hoped that he would come back so she could teach that fang faced freak a lesson he'd never forget!

Guan smelled the fear that was quickly replaced with anger and saw that Lilith was glaring towards the door the Unblood had fled through. "Relax, Lilith. He will not touch you unless he craves a very painful death, because I will kill him the instant he tries," she said reassuringly.

"I agree with her, little ooman. You shouldn't be concerned about that arrogant snot. The odds are heavily against him surviving his Chiva. Even Setg'in going alone was given odds that were a hundred times better. I'll make quite a bit of money after having wagered heavily on his success," Chi'ytei-de-thei said smugly.

"My success?" Setg'in demanded quickly. "What about my brothers? They were successful as well."

"Now that is good news!" Chi'ytei-de-thei said with a smile. "I think I was the only one who wagered that all three of you would survive. Most believed that you would be injured or killed, and that Hulij-bpe would die trying to assist or avenge you."

"You are aware that many of the Elders do not approve of placing bets on who will survive their Chiva, aren't you?" Guan asked in a disapproving tone.

"Of course I am, Honored Elder. I don't usually bet on such things, but being that I count all three of your sons as my friends, I am familiar with their skills and strengths well enough to be certain that they would be victorious. Setg'in is very small for a Warrior, and he has neither the strength nor the endurance of others, but his intelligence and cunning more than compensate for that lack. He may not have the brawn, but he does possess the brains!" Chi'ytei-de-thei replied easily with more than a hint of pride in his tone as he talked about his friends.

"That is very true. I have also found that Setg'in tends to conceal much of his actual intelligence, so most don't really understand just how smart he really is," Guan agreed readily. "Come, join us. I would be pleased to spend some time with one of Setg'in's friends. It will give me the opportunity to see what type of person he chooses for a friend."

Lilith watched quietly while the big Predator walked around the table and sat down next to Scar. He immediately began telling Gwen about his life, how he'd met Scar, Celtic, and Rave. He also talked about their training classes and a whole lot of other things too.

'Jeez! Does this guy ever shut up? He's a total chatter box! Hey wait… that's a good name for him… Chatter!' Lilith thought with a grin while she listened to several stories about Chatter and Scar.

Several of Chatter's stories later, Lilith's attention was diverted when Celtic sat down next to her.

"I must be in plenty of time since the food hasn't arrived yet," Hulij-bpe declared as he sat down before looking across the table. "Chi'ytei-de-thei! I haven't seen you in a long time. Where have you been keeping yourself?"

"I've been around for the past couple of years. I've spent time with both of your brothers. The reason you haven't seen me is because I want nothing to do with the company you've been keeping," Chi'ytei-de-thei said before he raised his hand and spread his fingers in a gesture to wait. "I know that you see them as your friends, but I want nothing to do with them. When you are with them, I will not be around."

"You expect me to choose between my friends?" Hulij-bpe asked in a hurt growl of disbelief.

"No; I do not. You are my friend, and I will always consider you to be my friend, but I simply don't like the company you keep. It's nothing against you; I just don't want to be around them," Chi'ytei-de-thei said plainly.

"That's no different from me or Nihkou'te. We don't like to be around them either. So how is this any different?" Setg'in asked his brother.

"I guess it isn't," Hulij-bpe answered sullenly.

"Now that you understand things… why don't we simply enjoy the coming meal?" Chi'ytei-de-thei suggested easily.

Lilith saw Celtic nod his head, before he looked up quickly. Turning to see what he was looking at, she saw that a lot of food was being brought to the table. The Predator bringing the food was a girl who wasn't even as tall as Scar. The Predator set all the food on the table, along with a bunch of plates. When the Predator put a plate in front of her, Lilith reached forward and started grabbing the kinds of stuff that she liked and putting it on her plate.

Thwei-de-guan (Bloody night) froze when she realized that something was seriously amiss at this table. Like all of those who were now out of their teens, she was acting as a server in a meal hall to learn proper respect along with how, and when to show that respect. One small part of her duties were to ensure that only those who had faced the Hard Meat were to receive the dried flesh that was sometimes harvested from the processed bodies. Although she had no clue as to what this small creature might be, she was certain that allowing the creature to eat Hard Meat flesh was not to be allowed.

"My apologies Elder, but this creature must not eat dried Hard Meat unless it has faced them in battle," Thwei-de-guan said as she grabbed a strip of dried meat that the creature was about to shove in its mouth.

Lilith's mind raced as soon as the Predator grabbed the piece of weird jerky that she'd been about to munch on. She knew that she couldn't grab Celtic's knife without getting into some serious trouble for it, and Gwen wasn't close enough for her to get that one either. Deciding on the only other option she had, Lilith lunged forward half out of her seat and bit down on the Predator's hand. She felt it when the Predator immediately grabbed her by the hair and tried to pull her off. The pain in her scalp only made Lilith bite down harder until she tasted something that she was sure was the Predator's blood.

Guan froze for a brief instant. She had been reaching out to force the young female to allow Lilith to continue eating while she explained the situation, but what she now saw in front of her was obviously going to turn into a true fight. Instead of grabbing one of the female's wrists, she quickly caught both of them in a firm grip.

"Both of you let go… now!" Guan growled angrily.

Lilith heard Gwen's growled order, and knew that she was pissed, but she wasn't about to just give up her food without a fight. Then when she felt the Predator let go of her hair, and saw the piece of jerky get released, she opened her mouth, and instantly snatched her hand back to look at the jerky still clenched in her left fist.

"First… Lilith, what have I told you about fighting at a table for meals?" Guan demanded sharply.

Guan's eyes bulged in the sockets when Lilith only glared at the serving girl and presented the middle finger of her right hand as she took an angry bite of dried Hard Meat while still having a mouth full of the serving girl's blood. Guan immediately brought her right fist down on the table with a very loud crash while glaring at Lilith angrily.

Lilith darted a quick glance at Gwen when she hit the table. Narrowed eyes, flared dreadlocks, and spread mandibles told her that Gwen was really pissed! She flinched back in her chair and held the strip of jerky close to her chest protectively.

"Now that I have your attention… I will ask you again… what have I told you about fighting at a table for meals?" Guan said as she repeated her demand.

Lilith shook her head, before pointing at the Predator who had grabbed her.

"I am well aware of what she did; however, you should have given me a chance to explain things to her. She was merely trying to do as she has been instructed. Dried Hard Meat is reserved as a special delicacy, which is only for those who have faced them. As small as you are, most would not think that you have faced them, and they certainly wouldn't think that you had actually attacked one of them. You and I know better, as do my sons, but this girl knows nothing of you, and she is only trying to do what isrequired of her. Biting her like that was unwarranted," Guan lectured sternly.

"Now I want you to wipe her blood out of your mouth immediately, and don't ever fight at a meal table again! If there is a problem, or something happens, then you will let me deal with it… is that understood?" Guan finished firmly.

Lilith nodded her head and still gripping the piece of jerky in her left hand, she quickly wiped her mouth out using the inside of the neck of her shirt with her right. Then, she looked back up at Gwen who seemed to be much less angry.

Guan looked over the young female who was there in order to learn responsibility, and respect by serving her Elders. It was an honorable task that all Yautja performed so that they might gain the knowledge of proper respect. She could see the young female bristling with anger, and could easily scent the rage that was barely being contained. That the female wasn't pursuing her anger spoke very well of her self discipline.

"What is your name Young One, and how old are you?" Guan asked politely.

"I am Thwei-de-guan of The Burning Mountain Clan, and I am twenty six," the server answered while struggling with her rage over the incident.

"Well, Thwei-de-guan. I will tell you that Lilith is an ooman, and that she has faced the Hard Meat, so she is properly entitled to enjoy the results of that battle. Although she hasn't killed one yet, that is through no fault of her own. She is still a pup, and is probably about half your age, but she is very cunning and intelligent in spite of that. I have brought her here to celebrate her overwhelming victory against a nest of three hundred and seventeen Tunnel Runners, which she successfully cleansed using only her intelligence, a Yaut Hound, and ooman items which consisted of playthings! Lilith was found in a Temple Of Passage during a Chiva, and before that, she was in the hands of bad-bloods who apparently starved her. The reason I tell you this is because I want you to understand that Lilith… was only trying to protect her food. Be glad that you didn't get the treatment I did the other night when I thought she was eating too fast. I took her plate so I could get her to slow down. She took my brother's knife and tried to stab me with it," Setg'in said as he interrupted his mother.

"I'm surprised she didn't take it just now," Hulij-bpe muttered loudly while glaring at Lilith suspiciously.

Because he was sitting right next to her, Lilith couldn't help but hear that muttered comment. She quickly turned to Celtic, and gave him a nice wet raspberry, before using her right hand to act as if she were going to snatch his knife.

Hulij-bpe instantly covered the hilt of his knife to keep Lilith from getting it. That was when he saw her smirk at him. "That is not funny!" He said leaning closer to her.

Suddenly, Hulij-bpe's eyes shot wide as Lilith stuck out her right index finger and slowly moved as if she were deliberately going to touch one of his weapons.

"Lilith! Stop teasing him, and eat!" Guan instructed firmly.

Guan turned her attention back to Thwei-de-guan before directing a warning glance at Setg'in. "As I was saying before I was interrupted. Lilith is cooperative in most of the things I've asked of her. The only occasions in which I've seen her become violent is when she feels threatened, humiliated, or when food is taken away from her. She refuses to speak unless she is being strongly influenced by chemicals or other means. It is suspected that her silence is caused by the bad-bloods who starved her, and mistreated her in other ways as well. I am telling you this, so you'll understand why I am apologizing in her place," Guan said firmly.

"I fully understand Elder. I too know what it means to be in the hands of a bad-blood, because my mother was executed for being such," Thwei-de-guan replied heavily while casting another look at Lilith.

Guan narrowed her eyes as she appraised the younger female. At roughly six nok, or six and a half ooman feet tall, the young female clearly had quite a bit of growing to do physically. The muscular development wasn't fully there either, but she could tell that this one would turn out to be of average height, and build. She knew that The Burning Mountain Clan wasn't as large or as well known as some, but it was still big enough that there would be many members she didn't know or recognize.

"When was your bearer executed?" Guan asked simply.

"Four and a half years ago. It was during my second year serving in this hall," Thwei-de-guan replied.

"You've been serving in this hall for over five years? Why?" Guan demanded aghast.

"My mother is dead. I have no idea who my father was, and therefore no one to complete my training, or instruct me further," Thwei-de-guan answered angrily.

"Is there a problem here, Honored Warrior?" asked the warrior in charge of the hall as he approached.

"Not as such, no. However, I wish to know when this female's duties are over for the day," Guan answered quickly.

"This is the last table she was to serve before being released until tomorrow."

"Then, I request that she join us now. She is a member of my Clan, and I have seen that she's learned her responsibilities well," Guan said firmly.

"As you say Honored Warrior. I and several others have been wondering why she was still assigned to be serving here," the Warrior supplied with a nod before walking away.

Thwei-de-guan gaped at the Elder female in shock. She knew that she could eat as much as she wanted while serving in the dinning hall, so long as she didn't try to sample any dried Hard Meat. The decree of this Elder meant that she no longer had that means to feed herself. Although she still had the home, which had been owned by her mother prior to that one's execution, she had no actual hunting skills yet, and so had no idea how she was going to feed herself.

"Sit down, Thwei-de-guan… join us for this meal. My eldest son will not be able to join us, so you may have his plate. Since you have no one to complete your training, and I am the obviously the first Elder of your Clan to learn of your plight, the responsibility to supervise the completion of your training is now mine," Guan instructed firmly.

Guan watched in silence as the young female sat down slowly. She could see Thwei-de-guan breathing quite heavily, and could easily pick up a large amount of stress in the female's scent. She was immediately able to identify that particular scent, because she could constantly smell it on Lilith. Suddenly, Guan realized what part of the cause might be.

"I am going to guess that you have no older siblings to assist you," Guan stated almost casually.

"I have no siblings at all Elder," Thwei-de-guan answered in a sullen tone.

"I understand. Suffice to say that your situation will be remedied. I am not certain how just yet, but a solution will be found. Until then, I will be acting as your instructing Elder. My Hunt Sisters will be joining us shortly. My eldest son, and my Lifemate aren't able to join us, but I have informed them of Lilith's success during her First Hunt, and they are both pleased with her achievement…" Guan began in an understanding tone.

"You're telling me that… she, that the ooman cleansed a nest of tunnel runners during her First Hunt?" Thwei-de-guan exclaimed in shock.

Thwei-de-guan knew that tunnel runners were small, fast, cunning, and that they were considered to be excellent prey for young warriors who were learning how to hunt. But to have killed off an entire nest of them was something that she would only have expected from a more experienced warrior. That this ooman had done so during her first time hunting said a lot. She could see that everyone at the table except her and the ooman were Blooded, which meant that this female warrior was experienced in battle. It was a huge relief to her that this Elder was willing to see to her instruction, because she knew that while females didn't have to become Blooded Warriors, there were much greater opportunities available to those who were Blooded.

"Yes, she did. The task of dealing with the tunnel runners was actually Setg'in's, but Lilith apparently had other ideas. Although the results are something that I am very proud of, I am not at all pleased that Lilith assumed this task before I was able to give her the proper training that I feel she needs. If she had waited until I believed that she was ready, she most likely would not have been injured. Lilith has been injured though, so it's fortunate that my Hunt Sisters will be joining us, since all three are noted Healers," Guan replied easily.

"You would do well to heed the instructions of this Elder, Thwei-de-guan. Although I was not privileged to be taught by her, I am aware of some of her past exploits. While you might be preparing to pass your Chiva, she might also do some training to pass her final test to become an Arbitrator. I will tell you now, that there are very few Warriors who can count the skull of an abomination among their trophies. But she has claimed one prior to becoming an Arbitrator, and that should tell you much!" Chi'ytei-de-thei said with a grin.

Thwei-de-guan stared at Chi'ytei-de-thei for a moment before swallowing hard and gaping at the Elder she was now sitting at the same table with. She appraised the Elder female with a quick but thorough glance, and was very surprised that she could see so few scars other than the Blooding mark! She knew very well that only the most skilled and capable Warriors were ever given a chance to become an Arbitrator, so how had this female come to be considered for such an exalted responsibility while only having a few small scars to show her for her battle prowess? She couldn't understand how such a thing might be possible… unless… unless this female was so incredibly skilled that no enemy had been able to really touch her!

With that one startling revelation, Thwei-de-guan suddenly realized that her prospects for the future were looking much better than ever before. This female had to be a highly respected and very accomplished Warrior to have battled against an U'darahja and emerged victorious without even a decent scar to show for such a dangerous battle. The possibility of being supervised by such a Warrior during the remainder of her training made her heart pound, and her blood race.

"Before your training continues from this point, I would know one thing from you. Do you wish to take the Chiva? It isn't required for a female, but having passed does make a difference," Guan asked firmly.

Excitement coursed through Thwei-de-guan's veins, and her voice shook with emotion as she gave her answer. "Yes, Honored Elder. I do wish to face the trial."

"Very well, from this point forward, that is what you will be trained for. I will see to it that you are properly prepared for such an outcome. There will be no turning back from this point. You have said that you wish to face the trial; so I will see to it that you are properly trained and ready for it. Know this; I will not tolerate failure! If you fail at a particular task, then you will be made to repeat it as often as needed until I am satisfied that you have mastered that task. Is that understood?" Guan declared bluntly.

"Perfectly understood Elder," Thwei-de-guan answered instantly. She couldn't help the feeling of relief that flooded through her as realized that Guan would not be one to simply show her something once, and then leave it to her to figure out. This female was one who would be strict enough to ensure her success, and that would ensure a decent future for her.

Thwei-de-guan let out a deep breath of relief and looked over at the ooman named Lilith who was casting surreptitious glares in her direction. She could understand some of the ooman's animosity, but not all of it. She figured that the only honorable thing to do would be to clear the air between them.

"My apologies Ooman Warrior, I wasn't aware that you had faced the Hard Meat in battle. I was only trying to fulfill my responsibilities and keep the dried Hard Meat away from those who are not entitled to it. Now that I know you are entitled to have it, I will not interfere in such a way again," Thwei-de-guan said sincerely.

"Lilith is not a Warrior yet. Although she has faced the Hard Meat in combat, she has not been Blooded," Guan said while staring at the Unblood sitting next to Chi'ytei-de-thei.

"I mean no disrespect to you Elder, but if she has faced the Hard Meat in battle, and cleansed an entire nest of tunnel runners, then she is more of a Warrior than I, and therefore is entitled to be addressed as such by me," Thwei-de-guan replied quickly.

"That is true Young One. Your honor and sense of respect serve you well. I had not considered things from your position. For now, eat what you will. My Hunt Sisters will arrive soon, and since they are all renowned Healers, I will also have one of them to see to your hand where Lilith bit you," Guan stated in approval as she noticed that the young female's hand was still bleeding slightly.

Lilith had been watching this Predator carefully, but once Gwen had told her to join them it all became a different story. Now Lilith was watching like a hawk. She wasn't at all happy about this turn of events, because as far as she was concerned… this wasnot turning out to be a very good day at all!

First, there was the way she'd messed with their armor last night, although they seemed to be glad that she had. Then, there was the grumpy bitch that got pissed at her for smelling some flowers. She had taken Scar's job away from him by killing all the space rats, and then she'd hit him with a Roman Candle. That was before she had ticked Gwen off by playing a joke with that can of Slime. She knew that she had really made Gwen pissed by taking her knife, and stabbing Miss Grouch in the leg, and now she had done something else she'd been told not to do… fighting at the table. Everything added up to what she knew was going to be one hell of a beating once Gwen got her home.

'Okay so I screwed up with the joke. It wasn't like I was trying to piss her off… it just sort of happened. That's like with that armor stuff they wear. I was only trying to do something nice for them, but I screwed that up too. The rest of the stuff wasn't my fault though! I can't help it if that bitch got mad just because I wanted to smell those flowers. She didn't have to pull my shirt up like that either!' Lilith thought angrily.

Lilith glared at the young female Predator who had joined them. 'I don't care what Gwen says… if she tries to take anything else away from me, I'll make sure she regrets it!' She thought with rising anger as she grabbed a handful of stuff off the tray of food and put it on her plate.

Lilith was so busy glaring at the young female that she wasn't fully paying attention to what she was doing. That was how she dropped the slice of meat on the floor. Instantly, she was jumping out of the booster chair to land sprawling on the floor. Even as she recovered, she was grabbing up the dropped piece of meat, but before she could shove it into her mouth, someone grabbed her hand to stop her from eating it.

Guan saw Lilith drop the piece of meat that she'd been about to put on her plate. She had easily smelled the anger coming from the little ooman pup, and she was certain of at least part of the cause. She couldn't really blame Lilith for being in a foul mood because after all, being seriously disrespected by one, and then having another try to purchase her like she was some type of animal so that she could be later hunted was enough to make anyone ready to kill. She had expected some display of anger or even dismay from Lilith upon dropping the meat, but she wasn't prepared for what actually happened.

Guan saw Lilith get out of her seat while moving almost as fast as a leaping facehugger. She had no idea what the ooman's intentions were until Lilith moved to actually eat what she had dropped. As fast as Lilith was, Guan was faster as she moved to intercept the piece of errant food.

"Don't you dare bite me, Lilith!" Guan growled out when she saw how Lilith was going to react.

Guan could see the expression of incredible rage on Lilith's face, and she promptly lifted the pup and placed her back in her seat. Then, there was a brief struggle in which Guan had to forcibly take the piece of meat away from Lilith. Then, with a deft flick of her arm and wrist, Guan sent the piece of meat hurtling through the air the land in a waste disposal container along the wall. Once that was done, she quickly focused all of her attention on the ooman pup.

"Listen to me Lilith. I don't ever want to see or even hear of you doing such a thing again! I know that you have been made to starve to the point that it has even interfered with your growth, but I want you to understand that you will not go hungry here! If you want something, point to it, and it will be given to you. I don't ever want to see or hear of you eating something that has been contaminated in such a way again! I don't even allow Bakuub to eat directly off the floor or ground. Yes, she is considered an animal, but she lives in my house, and she is treated with respect. If I don't allow her to eat from the floor, because it is disgraceful, then you may be certain that I will not allow you to do so either! You are not such an animal! If a piece of food is dropped, then you are not to eat it!" Guan explained in a stern voice.

Lilith had tried to bite the hand that grabbed her, and that was when Gwen told her not to bite. Then she was jerked off the floor and plopped down into that weird booster seat. She bared her teeth in a silent snarl of rage and glared at the predator while trying to get her food back. That was when Gwen took it away from her and threw it in the trash can across the room. Even as mad as she was, Lilith couldn't help but be impressed by Gwen's aim. It was a perfect shot, and the Predator hadn't even beenlooking at the trash can!

Even as Lilith's mouth dropped open in anguish over the loss of the food that she wouldn't be able to get back, Gwen was putting her face up close and personal in a way that Lilith couldn't focus on anything else. That was when the Predator started talking to her. At first, Lilith had thought that it was just another lecture, but as Gwen continued, she began to realize that Gwen was only pissed because she'd been about to eat something off the floor.

At first, Lilith didn't think that it was a big deal. After all, she'd had to do a lot worse just to survive for the past four years. This hadn't been mostly eaten and then left to spoil, it hadn't landed in her own piss, shit, or even blood; so what did it matter? That was when she remembered something from before her time in the basement. She remembered her mother once scolding her about a piece of candy that had fallen from the wrapper to land on the living room carpet. She remembered being told that it was dirty and she wasn't supposed to eat anything that was dirty. Now Gwen was griping at her for the same thing.

'It's not fair! It doesn't matter if I try to be good… I'm still a worthless mistake!' Lilith thought sourly as she nodded her head.

No one at the table said anything as Guan placed another strip of R'jet meat on Lilith's plate, but Hulij-bpe was thinking a lot.

'Mother told Setg'in that Lilith has been starved for a long time… but… she was going to eat something off the floor! Being hungry is one thing, but surely Lilith hasn't been starved that badly… has she?' Hulij-bpe wondered in confusion.

Hulij-bpe glanced over at the little ooman sitting next to him, and saw that she was alternating between directing angry looks at his mother, and at the waste container where the dropped meat had been thrown. There was anger, stress and a lot of sadness in Lilith's scent, and he had a hard time understanding why that was.

'What can she be so angry about? Mother gave her another strip of meat to replace the one she dropped, so why is she still angry? This isn't right. I know Lilith has to be smart enough not to eat off the floor…. she has to be! She was smart enough to save Nihkou'te when I couldn't get there in time. Mother even said she used playthings to cleanse an entire nest of tunnel runners. That means she's a lot smarter than I am, because I know I wouldn't have figured out how to use playthings to kill a nest of tunnel runners,' Hulij-bpe thought curiously as he watched the little female resume eating.

Chi'ytei-de-thei watched the little ooman sitting to his friend's right. He could easily smell the anger of the ooman female, and he was a bit surprised at the intensity. Thick and pungent, the scent of Lilith's anger was more intense than he'd thought it would be. Now he understood that Lilith hadn't been angry at all when she'd bared her teeth at him, because there had been no scent of anger, and certainly not one as strong as what he now smelled. It was something that made him wonder about the little ooman. He had to admit that he didn't know much of anything about the oomans, except that they were reputedly devious, and cunning. Other than that dangerous reputation, he knew nothing about them. He thought that he might be able to learn more by associating with this one.

Thwei-de guan couldn't help but feel a bit jealous of the ooman pup that seemed to have every advantage that she didn't. That was when she realized that the same female who was taking care of Lilith, was now going to assume responsibility for her, and her training. She would have every advantage she could hope for… training from an instructor who wouldn't merely give a lesson once before moving on to another, a sparring instructor who wasn't the least bit feeble, and honorable enough to ensure that she properly learned the correct postures to use during a strike or while defending from one.

Thwei-de-guan was watching the ooman for signs of resentment when three females sat down at the table to warm greetings from Guan, and respectful greetings from three of the table's occupants. The ooman remained silent and angry.

"I'm glad the three of you are here. While I am proud to say that Lilith was a stunning success during her First Hunt, she was also injured by one of the last tunnel runners she killed. That tunnel runner clawed her back quite respectably, so I'd like for one of you to look at it, and treat her. Lilith also bit this Unblooded female by the name of Thwei-de-guan, so that will need to be looked at as well, because she drew blood with those blunt teeth of hers." Guan said with a bit of pride as her Hunt Sisters sat down.

"This may have been Lilith's First Hunt among us, but how can you be certain that she hasn't hunted among the oomans?" Yeyinde asked interestedly.

"I can answer that one Elder. The shop keeper Thwei-de-thei-de asked Lilith if she'd ever hunted or had any training with a weapon, and she shook her head to signal 'no'. Considering the way she hunted the tunnel runners, I think she did very well." Setg'in said candidly.

"Of course Lilith did well! She cleansed a nest of more than three hundred of the vermin, and she did it using playthings!" Guan said defensively. "Considering that she has no training or experience, which means that she had to rely on her cunning and intelligence to eliminate those creatures…"

"Intelligence nothing! Getting those vermin to fight and kill members of their own nest was absolute brilliance! That is one tactic I will be sure to remember, because she had them fighting and killing each other all over the shop. I tell you now, that was the most amazing tactic I've ever seen employed. Lilith disturbed, taunted, and provoked them until they turned on each other in frustration and rage. I would never have thought of doing such a thing!" Setg'in exclaimed fervently with a wide grin.

That was when Yeyinde started laughing. "Now you are beginning to understand why oomans are considered to be highly dangerous. It's true that physically, they are much weaker, slower, and even fragile when compared to us. They have only a tenth of our life span if that much, and their weapons are all but useless against us. The one advantage the oomans have over us is their ingenuity… their cunning. They are able to devise tactics, strategies, and even weapons with almost no forethought or warning. That alone is what makes them incredibly dangerous. Even though she is still a mere pup, Lilith has that same intelligence and cunning."

"Those are well known facts my Sister, but now that Lilith is living among us, we may well learn other facts about her species in general, and her in particular. I for one am looking forward to it," Than-guan told Yeyinde before turning her attention to Guan.

"You said that Lilith is injured, and that she drew blood when biting this Unblooded female?" Than-guan asked intently.

"Yes," Guan admitted.

"Come! Both of you… Lilith… I need you to come with me to the waste closet so I can tend to your back," Than-guan snapped quickly.

"With respect Elder… I do not believe I need treatment for this injury. It is negligible, and I should have known that one as experienced as the Elder Guan would not allow the eating of dried Kainde Amedha by one who has not earned it," Thwei-de guan said with her eyes focused on the table.

"If you had been bitten on the ooman world, I might agree with you, but Lilith has been here for a few days now, and she has been in Paya's Center for Healing. That means that she's been exposed to any number of pathogens. I doubt those diseases could even bother her because of her different physiology, but she can still carry those pathogens," Than-guan stated firmly.

"As you say Elder," Thwei-de guan said before rising from the table to follow the Healer.

"Come Lilith, you can eat more when you return after I tend to your back. I know very well that you possess enough scars there to satisfy a whole hoard of Ancients, but I will not allow your wounds to become infected," Than guan instructed.

Lilith pointed at herself, then at Thwei-de guan and shook her head firmly.

Than guan cocked her head to the right as she tried to understand what was being said. Then, her eyes widened before she actually smiled.

"If you are trying to tell me that since Yautja pathogens and diseases are unable to affect you, that you need no treatment, then you are wrong. Had you been born on this world, and never been to your native planet, that might well be true. The fact is, you have not only been to your planet, but were raised there. That means that the bacteria and viruses from your world are already in your bloodstream, and while they have no effect on you at this moment, that can easily change. That is why you need to be treated," Than guan explained.

Lilith thought about it for a moment before she nodded her head with a huff of irritation and slid down from the booster chair to follow the Predator.

Lilith followed Thing-One into the bathroom, and knew that the Predator girl she'd decided to call 'May Day' was right behind her. She walked in warily because Thing-One was just standing there by a sink apparently waiting for her. The Predator was fiddling with some sort of dish thing that she'd pulled out of a kit on her thigh and unfolded. Once she had the weird looking satellite dish looking thing set up, she mixed some stuff up in it, and used some kind of little burner on the side to heat the stuff up. The result was a strange glowing blue paste that Lilith didn't really want anything to do with. She let out a breath of slight relief when Thing-One used all the stuff on May-day's hand. Lilith's relief was short lived, because Thing-One began mixing up some other stuff while looking straight at her.

Thwei-de-guan wondered why they were doing this in the waste closet, instead of at the table. Her question was answered when the healer ordered the ooman to turn around and bare her back. The ooman turned around and pulled up the covering on her torso. Even though she wasn't wearing any kind of mask, Thwei-de guan could clearly see the difference in heat from the bleeding wounds caused by the claws of the tunnel runner.

'That ooman's not even Blooded yet, and she'll already have scars to be proud of. I can't wait to go through the kind of training I can receive from that Honored Female.' Thwei-de guan thought in excitement.


	18. Lillith and Her Goodies

Lilith followed the two back to the table and climbed up in her booster chair. She still wasn't happy about having to use the damned thing, but she had to admit that she needed it. She knew that she was nervous, because of what she'd done at the shop, and for fighting at the table just a few minutes ago. The strange thing about the whole mess was that instead of being punished, she had gotten some medicine put on her back so it wasn't hurting nearly as much as it usually did, and she was now being given plenty to eat.

Lilith pulled her plate closer and tried to ignore the conversation going on around her since most of it was about 'May-Day' anyway. When she looked at her plate of food, and saw that all of the meat was still there, along with the different fruits, she couldn't help but be surprised. She would have sworn that with what she'd done today, that Gwen would have taken her plate away from her while she was gone.

Lilith was reaching for another slice of fruit on her plate when she was distracted by a Predator kid who was yelling and laughing at the top of his lungs as he ran towards their table. She watched with disbelieving eyes as the kid climbed up in Celtic's lap. That was when her mouth dropped open in surprise, because the strange kid grabbed a piece of meat from Celtic's plate.

"Eat! Eat! More eat! Good Eat!"

That was when the kid quickly turned to her and shoved the whole piece of meat into Lilith's mouth. She couldn't help but stare at the kid like he was stupid or something, because she'd never heard of anything like this. She watched in dumbstruck disbelief as the kid grabbed another slice of meat from Celtic's plate and tried to shove that in her mouth too. The problem was, that she hadn't even _chewed_ the first piece, but somehow that kid managed to get the second piece in there as well.

"Eat! Eat! Eat! Good eat! More eat! Good eat!" The kid was yelling and laughing at the same time.

That was when the kid was snatched from Celtic's lap by a Predator woman that Lilith had never seen before.

"Come Little One, they are _already_ eating, so you should eat as well," the woman said as she carried the kid away.

Suddenly Scar started snickering, and Lilith glared at him angrily.

"I'm glad I didn't do anything like that when I was first learning how to eat solid food," Setg'in said with a laugh as he watched Lilith pry the two slices of meat from her mouth.

"Oh you did _much_ worse than that, my son!" Guan stated smugly. "In fact, you did the exact same thing, only you climbed in the lap of the High Matriarch, snatched food from the plate of one of her advisors, and _crammed_thatfood into the mouth of the High Matriarch herself!"

"If it hadn't been for your actions that day, I would never have met one of the High Matriarch's advisors," Guan finished with a smile.

"Tell me that this is a joke Mother, because it's not funny! I can't believe I would do something like that!" Setg'in complained bitterly.

"It's no joke Setg'in, but don't worry about it, I don't know of a single pup who _hasn't_ done such things when they first get a taste of solid food," Guan said lightly.

"So are you saying that you did something similar when you were a pup?" Setg'in asked mischievously with a sly grin on in his mandibles.

"Of course I did!" Guan said with a frown as she thought about it. "I've been told that he was the meanest and grouchiest Ancient in existence at the time. It was actually rumored that he positively hated _everything_! That was no concern of mine though, because I wanted him to eat, just as I was learning to do," Guan finished easily.

Lilith didn't pay any more attention to the conversation that was going on, because she was too busy eating and glaring in the direction that the Predator woman had taken the kid.

Even though he participated in the conversation at the table, Setg'in couldn't get his mind off the fact that Lilith had been about to eat something off the floor. He clearly recalled what he'd realized during the morning meal.

'_If Lilith is accustomed to someone constantly taking food away from her, and starving her, then let's see how she reacts to someone giving her more than she can even hope to eat!'_ Setg'in thought with a smug set to his mandibles.

Setg'in caught his older brother's eye, and gave a subtle nod of his head. Then, he picked up a large slice of meat from his own plate, and darted his hand forward, he quickly dropped it on Lilith's plate.

Lilith pulled her plate closer to her defensively while she glared at Scar. All she'd seen was his hand darting towards her plate, and that was all she needed to see to know that he was going to try to take her food away from her. She curled her left arm around her plate protectively and glared at the Predator angrily. She glanced down at her plate to grab something else to eat and saw a piece of meat that was much larger than anything she remembered getting. She stared at it in confusion for a moment before grabbing another slice of the strange yellowish colored meat. As soon as she looked up, she saw Celtic's arm dart towards her plate. She shoved one end of the strip of meat in her mouth, and used both hands to pull her plate away from the Predator sitting next to her. Lilith shot a silent snarl of anger up at Celtic before she quickly finished what was in her mouth.

'_If they think they'll be able to take my food away while I'm right here, they won't do it without a fight. I don't care what Gwen said!'_ Lilith thought angrily before glancing down at her plate to see what she wanted next.

Lilith stared at her plate in silent mounting confusion even as her anger vanished. _'That… that wasn't there a second ago. I know it wasn't because I just ate a yellow thing, and I was gonna get another piece of that grey jerky next.'_

Lilith _knew_ that she hadn't gotten this particular piece of meat, because it was big enough to cover her entire plate! That was when she realized what had happened. Celtic had put this huge slice of meat on her plate while she was glaring at Scar. She looked up at Celtic with an angry expression on her face. The instant she did so, she saw Scar's hand dart to her plate. She actually huffed in anger at the Predator while pulling her plate closer to her and surrounding it with both hands to protect her food from being taken. That was when Celtic again moved for her plate.

Lilith pulled her plate into her lap and glanced down at it to see how much of her food had been taken. She stared stupidly at a _much_ larger pile of food than she'd put on it. While she was looking down at her plate in confusion, she saw Celtic's arm quickly reach over and drop _another_ big slice of meat on it.

Lilith was now pissed! She knew from painfully bitter experience not to waste food, but there was no way that she could even eat half of what had been added to her plate. Tears of anger welled in her blue eyes even as confusion grew within her mind.

'_Why are they doing this?'_ Lilith wondered as she put her plate back on the table in disgust. She knew that she wouldn't be able to eat all of that food if she did nothing else before she got too tired to do anything but sleep. She picked up her spoon and glared at Scar while getting ready to throw it at him.

"Both of you stop it!" Guan ordered when she scented Lilith's mounting anger.

"But Mother… she's obviously famished or she wouldn't be eating that fast. That means she needs more food on her plate." Setg'in protested smoothly.

"I agree with the young male. Whatever it is… this creature is _far_ too scrawny." Said a strange male Predator as he dropped a _large_ chunk of meat on Lilith's plate when he walked by on his way out.

"See?" Setg'in asked pointedly. "Others agree with me, so that proves that she needs to eat more."

"I'll agree that Lilith is _much_ too thin for my liking… but that's not the point Setg'in. Lilith does _not_ appreciate anyone meddling with her plate! When she wants more to eat, she knows that all she has to do is point to whatever it is, and it will be given to her, besides; there's now more food on her plate than _I_ can eat!" Guan scolded firmly. "Lilith isn't in the hands of bad-bloods anymore, so do not tamper with her food, because she doesn't like it."

"Mother… I know that you said Lilith has been starved for a long time, but she needs to slow down while eating." Setg'in protested reasonably.

"Setg'in…" Guan began firmly but in a calm tone. "I will tell you this only once. The best Healer known to our race has said that Lilith has been starved to the point that it has _seriously_ interfered with her growth and development. That kind of starvation does not occur in a few short moons… it took place over several years! _Years_ of constant starvation… coupled with treatment and beatings that should have killed her more than once. She will eventually realize that we are _nothing_ like those bad-bloods who starved her; once she does, she will begin to eat at a normal pace. Until then, leave her plate alone. Is that understood?"

Setg'in nodded his head silently before turning his attention back to his own meal.

Satisfied that her son would do as he was told; Guan turned her attention to Lilith who was alternating between glaring at her son, and looking sadly at her plate.

"Eat your midday meal Lilith. I don't expect you to be able to eat everything, so don't try. Just eat what you want and don't worry about what will be thrown away. That meat will be given to scavengers that are then fed to animals that are used for hunting," Guan instructed calmly.

Lilith nodded her head and began moving the large hunks of meat aside so she could get to the stuff that she knew she liked and would be able to eat. The whole time she kept directing a steady glare of death at Scar for what he'd started. She wasn't sure how he'd done it, but she just _knew_ that he was the one responsible for it all.

Thwei-de-guan stared at the ooman who would barely reach her chest. She knew all too well what it meant to be under the control of a bad-blood and how being used as a living excuse for the dishonor of another not the kind of memory to cherish. The thing that really caught her attention though was that this female who had assumed responsibility for her training had also taken in this ooman pup as well. It was something that told her a great deal about this female's honor.

She could smell the little ooman's anger as the small female resumed eating, and the silent rage the ooman kept directing at a Blooded male was a bit disturbing to her. Deciding that this was something she would rather not get involved in, she turned her attention to her own meal.

Guan waited patiently until it was obvious that Lilith had eaten as much as she wanted, before she helped clear the table for those who would use it next.

"Chi'ytei-de-thei, I want you to escort Thwei-de-guan over to the Clan storage facility where all of our Clan's surplus goods are held. You are to obtain whatever food, clothing, and any other items that she needs. I know that some questions are sure to be asked, so you may give them my authorization and contact frequency." Guan ordered as the group prepared to leave.

"We can accompany you for a while, but we will have to get back to the Center later." Than-guan said as she looked over at Lilith who was petting the Yaut Hound and giving the creature some of the left over meat from her plate. "Lilith seems to like Bakuub." She observed candidly.

"Yes she does. She even slept in the main room with Bakuub for a companion last night. I thought it was a good sign to see her sleeping while leaning against Bakuub's side." Guan answered readily. "It's something that makes me think Lilith is at least starting to feel comfortable here."

"That's a distinct possibility Guan. Even though she isn't speaking, Lilith is able to observe and understand what goes on around her. It's clear that she understands much more than her small size would suggest." Yeyinde stated while watching the ooman pup.

"Lilith…" Than-guan began solemnly, until Lilith looked up at her. "I and my sisters wish to congratulate you on a _very_ successful First Hunt! Eliminating an entire nest of Tunnel Runners is no easy feat even for an experienced Warrior. The nest _you_ cleansed was _not_ a small one either. I commend you on a victory that was well earned and _brilliantly_ achieved!"

Lilith looked up at the 'Thing' sisters and saw that all of them were nodding and smiling at her. She didn't understand it at all. She was _sure_ that someone would be mad at her for taking what Scar was supposed to do away from him. They didn't look like they were mad at her… none of them did. Even Chatter looked like he was about to give her a 'thumbs up' on a good job.

"Come Lilith, there is a shop across the path that I need to visit. I'll need a much larger supply of cleaning cloths after the way you polished our armor last night, because I would like for you to teach us _all_ how you did that. We will practice until we do it properly and I _fully_ expect you to let us know when we do it wrong," Guan stated with a smile.

Lilith gaped up at Gwen with a stupid look on her face. _'She wants _me_ to teach them how to polish that armor stuff of theirs? Is she serious? She told me that I wasn't supposed to touch that stuff, and now she's telling me that she wants me to show them how to polish it. Why?'_

"You look as if you are confused Lilith. If you are wondering why I wish for you to show us what you did; then I will tell you that the method you used to polish our armor last night is _much_ more effective than the methods we currently use. So I would like for you to show us how to do it _properly_!" Guan clarified after seeing the strange expression on Lilith's face.

"Wait! _Lilith_ is the one who polished your armor like that? And you _let_ her do that?" Than-guan-thwei demanded in disbelief.

"Yes, Lilith polished _all_ of the armor that I'd laid out for the technician's visit this morning. No one allowed her to do what she did, and no one _asked_ her to do it either. Lilith made _all_ of our armor look like it was new… the technician even said that it looked like it was made recently, even though one of the sets was my training armor and you _know_ how old that is!" Guan explained proudly.

"You don't intend to exclude your Hunt Sisters from those lessons do you? I too would like to know how to make my armor look new," Than-guan-thwei asked with jealousy in her tone.

"As would I," Than-guan said seriously

"I as well," Yeyinde added quickly.

Guan laughed lightly. "The thought of excluding you never occurred to me. I planned to invite the three of you over to join us for the evening meal so you can see for yourself what method she uses."

"We will certainly be there." Than-guan said with a smile.

"Good! Because you won't _believe_ the comments Nihkou'te and I got over how great our armor looked while we were hunting today. Even the Elders of the hunt wanted to know where we had gotten it from," Hulij-bpe exclaimed excitedly.

"You didn't tell them did you?" Guan asked quickly.

"Oh no! There was no way that I was going to let them know about Lilith. Even if she did take my knife that first night she was here, she made my armor look so good that I can _easily_ forgive the way she dulled the tip of it!" Hulij-bpe answered proudly.

Lilith stared at the Predators as she followed them to the door to the huge dinning room. When the door slid open, she heard several disgusted comments that it was still raining. She saw Gwen smile before pulling out the umbrella and opening it as she went outside.

Yeyinde stopped as she gaped at her Hunt Sister in surprise. "What is that and where did you get it?" She demanded in a jealous tone as she studied the interesting barrier that blocked the rain.

"I haven't the slightest trace of an idea as to what it's called, but this is something that Lilith bought for me when she heard my disgust about the rain. She knew exactly what it was and how to use it, so I'm sure it must have originated on her world," Guan answered readily.

"Well then where did she get it?" Yeyinde persisted.

"She heard my disgust about the rain, and went back into the Oddities shop to purchase it with money that she received in exchange for a pouch of plant seeds that she recovered from the nest she cleansed. If she hadn't retrieved them, they would never have been found," Guan said with no small amount of pride.

Yeyinde had a stunned expression on her face while she thought about what had been said.

"She sold a _trophy_ that she gained from a _cleansing_ during her _First Hunt_?" Than-guan-thwei exclaimed in shocked disbelief.

"Yes… she did," Guan admitted simply.

Yeyinde and both of her sisters turned to gape at Lilith in surprise before all three began purring in approval. Even though neither a bag of seeds nor the money from their sale were something to be considered proud of by those who knew nothing about the events concerning them, it was still unheard of for anyone to use such money to buy something for someone else. The implication was that of _far_ more honor than any of them would have thought someone capable of.

"Whether it's something that would be recognized as a trophy or not, you still used the proceeds to purchase something useful for another. That was a _very_ honorable thing for you to do Lilith. With honor like that, I am proud to be able to say that I know you," Yeyinde stated with a smile.

Lilith stared up at Thingy in a state of complete bewilderment. The Predator was saying that she'd actually done something right for once. The _really_ weird thing was that the others were _agreeing_ with her! She kept looking at Thingy in confusion while many thoughts went through her mind.

'_How can she be proud to know me? All I did was buy a stupid umbrella! Gwen got me new clothes, toys, and a bunch of other stuff. That umbrella won't pay her back for all of that, and it _sure_ won't come close to paying for the surgery Gwen did on my arms and legs! So why would she be proud of me just because I tried to do something to pay Gwen back for a little bit of what she's done for me? This doesn't make any sense!'_ Lilith wondered as she sidled back over to Slobber.

Lilith was lost in a world composed entirely of her confused thoughts and she wasn't paying any attention to the Predators as she followed them. It wasn't until the rain stopped pelting her, that she turned around, and realized that they'd only crossed the strange little path or trail or whatever they called it.

Looking around at the inside of this new pyramid that she was now in, she saw that it was another one of those stores, like the one where she'd killed all those space rats.

"You may look around Lilith, but do _not_ break anything! If you do, then you will have to pay for it… out of your own money," Guan warned firmly.

Lilith nodded her head and began wandering down the aisle looking at the things that were on the shelves of the wall, and the first of the double sided shelves in the store. She saw chest plates and shields like the Romans used to wear, or at least she _thought_ it was Roman. It could have come from a bunch of other places too, because she didn't have enough schooling to be sure.

Suddenly, Lilith stopped and was staring stupidly at a full set of medieval armor that was mounted on a display stand. She somehow knew without needing to be told that it was the real thing and that meant that it was _really_old!

'_Wow! That… that should be in a museum somewhere… not in a store. It looks amazing.'_ Lilith thought as she leaned closer to get a better look.

The closer look showed Lilith how it had been put together, with the top pieces holding the ones beneath. Then there was the layer that was underneath the plates of steel. That was made out of interlinked rings of metal. She had no idea that the inner layer was called chain mail, but she didn't really care as she stood there and admired the suit of armor. Dull and tarnished, the armor even had several spots of rust on it, and she knew that it hadn't been taken care of in a long time.

"Don't waste your time on that armor! At first glance, it might seem sturdy enough to offer excellent protection, but the metal it's composed of is thin and flimsy. Besides, it didn't do much to protect the one who wore it last or it wouldn't be here, now would it?"

Thei-de thwei (Death's blood) looked down at the small ooman female that a couple of his customers were still discussing. He could see the rents in the back of her top covering that proved she had been attacked by something from behind, but there was nothing about this insignificant little ooman to indicate that she could be deadly enough to wipe out an entire nest of Tunnel Runners during her First Hunt. He found it odd that three Blooded and Honored females would speak of this ooman amongst themselves with such respect. Given the small size and the fact that she had just completed her First Hunt, meant that she was no more than a pup. He'd never actually _seen_ an ooman before, but then he knew that most Warriors chose not to hunt another sentient species, because there were _plenty_ of worthy challenges in the universe without taking another sentient being's Honor from them in battle.

As he studied the first ooman he'd ever seen, he realized that the creature was _very_ thin, and obviously underfed. He did know that oomans were reputedly shorter than the Yautja, but surely they weren't emaciated as well. That was when Thei-de thwei recalled that there were some oomans who were almost as strong as a Youngblood. That meant that this pup was being starved.

Setg'in looked up as the owner of the shop approached smelling strongly of anger. One look at the flared dreadlocks, and bristling muscles of the shop owner, and Setg'in knew that something was seriously amiss.

"Is there a problem that I might help with Elder?" Setg'in asked respectfully, while dreading that Lilith might have touched or damaged something expensive, and at the same time hoping that it had nothing to do with her at all.

"Who is the owner of that ooman?" Thei-de thwei demanded bluntly.

"I guess you could say that technically I am, Elder. After all, I am the one who discovered her presence while my brothers and I were taking our Chiva three days ago. My mother has since claimed her as a part of our house, so she might disagree when it comes to the ownership of Lilith," Setg'in answered quickly.

"That pup has only been among us for three days?" Thei-de thwei asked as his anger abated rather quickly leaving curiosity in its place.

"Yes Elder. In that time she's received a lot of medical treatment, and she eats as fast as a starving Yaut Hound. We know that the oomans who had her were bad bloods of the worst kind. Bad bloods who starved her, and tortured her… but she is in _Honorable_ hands now Elder, and she will not endure such treatment again," Setg'in answered while giving as little information as possible yet still answering the questions that he was sure would come next.

"Let me tell you that I do not know much of oomans because I've never seen one before now, but that ooman is _far_ too thin!" Thei-de thwei snapped irritatedly.

"You are not alone in that knowledge Honored Warrior… my siblings and I are also concerned about her health. So you may rest assured that she will be well taken care of," Yeyinde said as she chimed in.

Thei-de thwei nodded his head. He wasn't about to challenge three females by insulting them over the condition the pup was in, especially when they hadn't had a chance to correct the problem yet. He decided to watch the ooman pup to see what she would do, and how she would act, because he was certain that there had to be a reason she'd been brought back to their world.

Lilith walked along looking at nothing in particular when a box that had a picture sized mirror in it caught her eye. She quickly knelt down and pulled it out to look at it. It was about two feet tall and maybe a foot and a half wide. What caught her attention though was the way she looked. Her pale skin was smeared with neon green blood that had dried on her face and in her black hair. The only thing that she could really recognize was her light blue eyes. Her face was thin, and she didn't like what she saw in the eyes that looked back at her. Anger, hate, and fear were shining in those eyes like a torch in the darkness. She was about to put the mirror back when she spotted the coloring books. There had to be close to a dozen really _thick_ ones! She pulled out a shoebox, along with a human skull on a board with a red button in front. There were eleven of the large coloring books that were over an inch thick. The only problem was… there were no crayons.

Suddenly, after getting an idea, Lilith was opening the shoebox. What she saw there actually made her smile. There were no crayons in the box, but there were a _lot_ of coloring pencils and even a sharpener. She put the lid back on and placed the shoebox back on top of the coloring books. She stuck the mirror in, but put the skull on the shelf. She grabbed the box and started to stand up with it.

"You take all of the contents, or none of them," Growled a voice behind her.

Lilith looked behind her to see the shop keeper that had told her about the armor.

"I don't break collections up to sell the pieces individually."

Lilith shrugged, stuck the skull under the mirror, and started to stand up when she spotted something. She stared at the white plastic canister with a pink label on it. Leaving the box on the floor, she grabbed the container and twisted it open breaking the plastic seal in the process.

Thei-de thwei stared at the ooman pup in sheer outrage when he watched her _deliberately_ damage an item that he had for sale. The ooman's actions were quick and knowing as she twisted off the cap and started to smell the contents. He'd been stepping towards her with every intention of stopping her when he paused at the strange actions taking place in front of him. The ooman stuck a single finger in the container and then put it in her mouth before shuddering and twisting up her face at the same time. If he didn't know any better, he would have sworn that she had just encountered a _very_ foul taste. Thus, he was thoroughly surprised to see her bare her teeth in challenge at the container, put the cap back on and stick it in the box with the other things that she apparently wanted.

He followed her back to the counter and was surprised that she pulled out the strange container before setting it on the counter beside the box of things to purchase. When he walked around the counter to total her two purchases, he was actually amused at the sight of a fair amount of money on the counter. There was more than enough there to pay for the items several times over. He snorted derisively at such a paltry test of his honor and selected only the amount to pay for the goods, before pushing the rest back towards the ooman. Then he placed the purchases in an oiled cloth to prevent any damage from the rains.

Lilith smiled widely as she set the stuff on the floor by Scar, and went off to find Gwen.

"I don't care if she _is_ a pup… if she challenges me like that again, I will beat her soundly!"

"Actually… that wasn't a challenge. That was an ooman expression of happiness. Given that she's only been implanted with our vocal and body language, she probably has no idea how much money she has or what she just spent," Yeyinde stated in an amused tone. "I think she was most likely just happy that she still has some money of her own, and probably doesn't even know how much she still has."

Thei-de thwei gaped at the female before turning his surprised gaze back to the ooman pup who was darting down one of the aisles towards another Blooded female.

Lilith saw Gwen holding a bunch of rags in a basket with one hand while looking at something on the shelf. When she walked over to the Predator, Lilith saw what was being looked at and just had to wonder. Weird looking jars and other containers of stuff were being examined.

"Lilith, I want you to look at these materials and show me which ones you would use to polish armor like you did last night," Guan instructed when Lilith approached.

Lilith looked at the stuff that was being held out to her. There was a bunch of different cloths, some of which were rougher than the others. There were also creams, and other stuff that was used to polish metal. She reached out and pointed to the kind of cloth that was exactly like what she had used. Then she pointed at the other stuff and shrugged before shaking her head.

Guan looked at the type of cloth that Lilith had indicated with a good level of confusion. The one Lilith pointed out was for polishing fine details and creases.

'_No wonder she seemed exhausted this morning. Using only this to polish six entire sets of armor should have taken at least two nights, but she did it in only one,'_ Guan thought before an idea struck her. _'Our usual methods must be something she used as a base for her method. If that's the case, then I'll need to get everything.'_

Guan gathered up twice as much of the cleaning materials as she thought she'd need before smiling down at the ooman pup. "Come Lilith. I'll buy these, and then we can go home, and get your things arranged."

Lilith nodded her head, and followed Gwen to the counter. She watched Gwen pay for the stuff, and put it all in one of those weird sacks like the one her box of stuff was in.

As Guan prepared to leave the little general goods and curiosities shop, she saw that Lilith was carrying a bundle of her own. She couldn't help but wonder what the little female had purchased, though she was certain that she'd find out when they got home.

Guan left the shop followed by the entourage of her three Hunt Sisters, her two sons, her Yaut Hound Bakuub, and the _very_ interesting ooman female named Lilith that she had gladly accepted into her home.

'_Lilith has survived and endured abominable treatment from bad-bloods, she's shown her honor by cleansing an entire nest of Tunnel Runners, and presenting the Elder who instructed and supervised her with a truly useful gift. That does not even mention the gift she purchased for me out of money that she earned by selling a trophy. The privilege of having one of such honor in my home is surely a blessing from the Gods.'_ Guan thought proudly as she observed the little ooman.

When they arrived at the pyramid that Gwen lived in, Lilith was surprised to see the pile of things she'd picked out at the store. She stared at the large pile of stuff until Gwen told her to start putting the things away.

The first thing Lilith did was set her box down and grab a bean bag. She carried it over by the gigantic couch where she could see the fire place, and dropped it there. Then she dug through the stuff until she found the box containing the fireplace set. She put everything in place before standing back to look at it. Gwen's fireplace was twice the size of the one in the store, so the screen wasn't quite wide enough to cover all of it, but it still looked nice.

"Isn't that the same thing she gave Thwei-de-thei-de?" Setg'in asked in surprise.

"Yes… it is. I wasn't aware that she'd picked out two of them," Guan replied as she watched Lilith curiously.

That was when Lilith started taking the rest of the stuff to her room. Once she got it all there, she started unpacking things. She put the boxes of toy swords to one side while she focused on the box of stuff with the water guns and every thing else in it. The golf-discs, she put in one corner, while leaving the water balloons, various guns, and other things still in the box. That was when she found a pair of swim floats that went on the upper arms.

'_I can use these when I start learning how to swim.'_ She thought with a grin, knowing that Gwen had a tub that was as big as a small swimming pool. She put them back in the box and set that next to the wall, while she sorted through the rest of the stuff.

Opening the box of pillows, she put those in her bed hole. Then she turned to the smaller box with the coloring books in it, and got the picture sized mirror. While it was only as big as a large portrait sized photo, it was still a lot bigger than what was in the travel sized grooming kit. She placed it on the floor next to the wall near the door, and put the grooming case next to it. Finding the can of Slime, she put that on top of the boxes of toy swords. The tray of tableware, she put next to the door, and set her canister of pink powder next to it. She put away her coloring books and coloring pencils, along with the other knickknacks.

Once she had put almost everything else away, Lilith was left with the huge white teddy bear that she put in her bed hole next to the pillows. She put the shirts in her closet, and picked up the _seriously_ long pants. She thought about trying them on, but realized just how filthy she was while splattered with the blood, guts, gore, and even bits of the brains of space rats.

Looking at herself, Lilith knew that what she needed first was a bath. She knew that if she tried to carry the stuff she needed, she'd just get it smeared with the gunk that she wanted to get off. Even though she'd spent several long and miserable years in the basement while covered in her own blood, piss, shit, and even vomit from the times that the leftovers had made her sick, Lilith still preferred to be clean when she could. She looked around her room for something to carry her stuff in. The different boxes were way too big, but when her gaze fell on the weird sack that the second store owner had put her coloring books in, Lilith smiled.

Lilith stuffed one of the long T-shirts in the sack, along with her travel grooming kit with the hairbrush. She opened the case and grabbed the brush. She pulled some of the hair out of the brush and looked at it curiously. The strands were long and although some were blond, most were gray. _'This must have belonged to an old woman.'_ Lilith thought as she stared at the cluster of hairs that she pulled from the brush. It wasn't a fancy brush; it was a plain brown wooden handle cylinder with bristles that went all the way around it, but it was something that she could use, and to her, that was all that mattered. When she turned around, she saw Gwen standing in front of her with the clothes, boots, and some clean underwear that she'd bought just two days ago.

Lilith looked up at Gwen and shook her head. She stepped over to the Predator, and grabbed the underwear to put that in the sack of stuff she was going to take to the pool/tub with her.

Guan watched curiously as Lilith put the undercloth in a sack along with the breast halter. "Why are you doing that? You need to get yourself cleaned up. You are still covered in the gore of those Tunnel Runners you killed, and you'll need to wear clean coverings once you get clean and you come out of the bath."

Lilith looked up at Gwen and nodded her head before she smiled and reached in the bag to pull out the long T-shirt. She held it out in front of her so Gwen could see how long it was, and it wouldn't get filthy by touching what was all over her.

"So you _are_ planning to bathe then? Good! Now, is that what you are going to wear when you get done with your bath?" Guan asked as she looked at the strange covering Lilith was holding up. She could see that it would easily cover everything that needed to be covered so that Lilith wouldn't unintentionally attract or entice any male who saw her, but it wasn't something she was familiar with.

Lilith nodded her head before stuffing the T-shirt back in the bag. She drug the bag behind her as she went out the door of her room.

"Lilith, if you intend to take a bath then I'll be able apply another treatment to your back once you're done. That paste is water based, so it will wash off easily. Once it does, there is still the risk that infection can set in and any lingering pain can return as well. After that…" Than-guan began solemnly.

"After that, we'll need to meet up with Chi'ytei-de-thei and Thwei-de-guan to make sure that young female has everything she needs for the time being," Guan said firmly.

"Agreed. If she's going to begin training now, then someone will need to ensure that she is properly equipped with decent training armor," Yeyinde added as she and the others followed Lilith to the bathing chamber.

Guan followed Lilith into the bathing chamber, and watched as she sat down and began removing her coverings. First were the boots, and then three sets of foots coverings that were clearly used to fill in the extra space of the over sized foot wear. The leg and top coverings were then quickly taken off after Lilith stood up, and Guan was pleased to notice that Lilith was wearing one of the under cloths that she'd gotten for the little ooman. There was no breast halter being worn, but since Lilith wasn't developed yet, that really didn't matter. The soiled coverings were simply dropped in a pile while the small female prepared to bathe. The chain with the Clan's symbol on it was carefully set to one side, and Guan could see from the way it was being handled that Lilith seemed to appreciate it, because it was handled with the same level of care and attention that a Warrior would use with a valued weapon. She watched Lilith as the little ooman grabbed that strange case which was the first thing she'd picked out, and stepped over to the bathing pool.

Lilith bent over to look down into the water to make sure the first step was right there; then she carefully climbed down into it while leaving the case on the side.

Yeyinde could see and even _smell_ the apprehension as well as fear from the ooman as the little one entered the water. She quickly shed her own armor and coverings before she joined Lilith in the bathing pool. She stepped up behind Lilith to ensure that the pup couldn't get past her to go any deeper, and began letting out a soft purr.

Lilith turned around when she heard the splash and saw Thingy right there. She backed up against the side of the pool as she looked up at the Predator.

"Relax and enjoy your bath Lilith, but I want you to know that I will not allow you to leave that first step. Since you can't swim, and I do not yet have the time to teach you, I'll make sure you can't get too deep," Yeyinde said gently.

Lilith nodded her head nervously, and turned back to the grooming kit. As she got out the soap and shampoo, the other three Predators got in the pool with her. When Gwen approached her with a bowl full of that stuff these Predators used instead of soap or shampoo, Lilith grinned and shook her head. She held out the bar of soap so that Gwen could look at it.

Guan took the strange little object that Lilith was holding out to her and looked at it. It had a rather strange but not unpleasant scent to it. In fact, although the scent was different from the cleansing gel that would turn into foam when used, she thought that the intended use was the same.

'_This must have the same purpose as our cleansing gel. It was contained in the first item that Lilith selected. That means she chose something that she's familiar with in order to attend to her hygiene needs,'_Guan thought as she began to grin.

'_This… this was the first thing she chose. She would have gotten hygiene items instead of playthings when she believed that she could only have one thing. She selected what she thought she _needed_ before she chose anything else!'_ Guan realized.

Lilith watched as Gwen sniffed at the bar of soap before staring at it for a moment. Then the Predator smiled before snapping her arm out and pulling Lilith into a hug.

"I am very proud of you for this, Lilith. The first item you selected was one that would allow you to clean yourself up. Instead of choosing a plaything, you chose something to clean yourself with. That's good; it shows that not only do you have intelligence, but that you _use_ that intelligence as well." Guan said as she slowly released the pup.

Lilith nodded her head before glancing at the others nervously. Then, she lathered up the soap and started to wash her arms and face. She had climbed out of the pool so she could wash the rest of her body when Thing-one spoke up.

"Would you like me to wash your back? That will help to be rid of infection and any dried blood left." Than Guan asked cheerfully.

Than Guan had asked because she was curious as to just how effective the cleansing item was. She knew from what Guan had said and the way that Lilith was clearly intending to use the item that it would have some effect in getting the little female clean, but she intended to judge just how good the substance would be.

Lilith nodded her head and quickly built up a good lather in her hands and smeared some of it onto her thighs, chest, and arms before handing the soap to Thing-one.

Than Guan watched as Lilith used the strange object to create a lather that she used to clean herself with. She then copied the little ooman's actions and noticed something that caused her some concern.

'_This substance is even stripping away the natural oils of my skin. It will do quite well to clean the grime and gore from Lilith's back, and it might help with possible infection as well. I'll need to keep a close watch on this,'_ Than Guan thought as she began to apply the strange lather to Lilith's back while making sure to avoid the use of her claws.

As careful as she was, it made no difference because she immediately smelled a sharp increase in the stress that Lilith was clearly feeling. That she also heard a sharp indrawn breath let her know that what she was doing was still painful as well.

'_I should have known that this would instantly remove the pain blocker paste given how quickly it even stripped the oils from my hands!'_ Than Guan thought sourly.

"I can tell that this is causing you pain Lilith, but once you are cleaned up, I'll apply some more pain blocking paste to your back, and this time it will have a healing accelerant in it as well. By the time the evening meal arrives, these wounds will have closed, so they shouldn't bother you any more," Than Guan said gently.

Lilith nodded her head as she tried to ignore the deep burning sting caused by the soap being rubbed into the claw marks on her back. She concentrated on getting her arms and legs clean because she could see that some of the gunk from the space rats had soaked through her clothes. Being forced to stay covered in the dried remains of her own blood and filth had been bad enough, but there was no way she was going to leave that disgusting goo on her body.

Once Lilith was sure that her body was clean, she grabbed the small bottle of shampoo, dumped some of it in her left hand, set the bottle down, and began to wash her hair. A grossed out look of total disgust twisted her face when she saw that the sudsy foam, which she knew was _supposed_ to be white, was actually a sickly looking neon green from all the space rat blood in her hair. She scrubbed a little harder before jumping back into the pool and ducking under water to rinse her hair out.

Yeyinde was watching Lilith carefully because she knew that the first step wasn't all that wide. As soon as Lilith jumped back into the water with her eyes still closed and went under, she acted. She reached out and grabbed Lilith around the waist and pulled her out of the water to sit her back on the side.

"Lilith, did you intend to go underwater like that?" Yeyinde demanded quickly as soon as Lilith was sitting on the side of the bathing pool.

When Lilith nodded her head, Yeyinde continued. "That's fine then. I want you to know that I am right here, and I will not allow you to drown. If you go past that first step by mistake, I will pull you out right then… is that understood?" She asked firmly.

Lilith nodded her head again without opening her eyes, and jumped back in the water. Her right foot missed the step but she quickly thrust her hands forward and pushed herself back when her hands met Thingy's stomach. She took a few deep breaths to calm down before ducking back under water the rinse her hair out. After ducking under water four times, she was finally sure that she'd gotten all the soap out of her hair. That was when she turned and reached back for the toothpaste and mouthwash. Since the toothbrush was still in the cheap plastic wrapper, Lilith knew that it had never been used. Even if she thought it had been used, she would have just washed it with the soap before using it anyway.

Guan watched as Lilith put a foul smelling paste on one of the objects from the strange kit that was apparently for cleaning oneself. Then, to her complete disgust, Lilith stuck that paste in her mouth. In the span of a few breaths, Lilith was contorting her face in what just had to be an expression of revulsion. She watched in morbid fascination as the little pup continued to run the paste back and forth in her mouth until it turned to foam.

"You don't like the taste of that… do you Lilith?" Than-guan-thwei asked hesitantly.

Than-guan saw the ooman pup shake her at her sister's question, and was surprised that the tiny female was continuing with her actions in spite of the foul taste. Given that the little ooman was using things she was familiar with to clean herself up, Than-guan believed that she was using that foul smelling and tasting stuff to clean her mouth.

Lilith used some of the water from the pool to rinse her mouth out after brushing her teeth. She put the toothbrush and toothpaste back in the little kit, and got out the mouthwash. She stared at the bottle of mint flavored Listerine for a moment, before opening the bottle. It was supposed to be mint flavor… but the only thing she could say about it, was that it was horrible! She gave a hard shudder, and almost gagged at the taste, but she stuck with it, and began to swish the stuff around in her mouth. It burned, it tasted nasty, and it was worse than she remembered. She counted off the seconds in her head the way she'd been taught, and finally spit the stuff out. She panted for several breaths while her eyes watered from the strength of the mouthwash. Even though she had spit it out, her mouth still burned. She ducked her head down and slurped up a bunch of water before gargling with it.

Yeyinde was standing right in front of the little pup, which was why she couldn't help but see the disgusted expressions that Lilith was making. Every cringe, every shudder, and every strange twist of the ooman pup's face was clearly seen. She couldn't help but wince in sympathy every time that Lilith showed just how much she disliked what she was doing.

When Lilith climbed out of the pool, Gwen handed her some weird fur covered hide for her to dry off with. It was just like the one she'd tried to use the first day she'd gotten her. Her mouth quirked at the memory of the 'Texas Titty Twister' that she'd used on Gwen.

'_Well she kind of asked for it by not letting me dry off on my own.'_ Lilith thought to herself.

"I will dry your back for you. Those claw marks from the tunnel runner are starting to seal, and I don't want them reopened." Than-guan said as she approached with a second fur.

Lilith let the Predator dry her back, before putting more of the paste on. Then Lilith was able to get dressed. She still wasn't too happy with the way the underwear crawled up her crack, but that was all there was, so she put up with it. After all, it was better than being naked and chained to a wall. She put on her T-shirt and saw that it went down just past her knees. Whoever it had been made for must have been _really_ tall! Then Lilith gathered up her bag of things, while Gwen tossed her dirty clothes in a chute sort of thing, and headed to her room


	19. Part 1

Lilith waved Gwen into her room, put the bag by the door, and grabbed both of the super long pair of pants. She held one up to her waist, and saw where she wanted them cut, but she didn't have anything to mark it with. Then she started digging through the box of colored map pencils when Gwen entered along with all three of the Thing sisters. Lilith figured that things were looking up when she found the pen. It was just a cheap blue pen, but it would do the job… if it worked. She held the pants back up to her waist and marked one pair. She wanted to see if they were too short before she marked the other pair.

Lilith took the weird pants over to Gwen who had her head tilted to one side and was watching her curiously. Knowing that she wasn't supposed to use someone else's knife or other weapons without their permission, she pointed at the big knife that was strapped to Gwen's leg.

Guan pulled her knife out when Lilith pointed at it, and then knelt down when Lilith motioned her lower. "What do you intend to do with my knife Lilith?"

Lilith dropped the pants for a second and then reached out and moved Gwen's wrist and hand so that the knife was sticking straight out with the edge turned up. Then, she reached down grabbed the pants, and folded them so that both legs were together. Once she had them ready she put the pants over the blade and started to position them to cut on the mark she'd made. That was where she made the mistake. Gwen's knife was much sharper than she thought and the pants were cut easily before she was ready.

Lilith gaped at the knife with wide eyes and her mouth hanging open. That knife had cut through those pants like they were tissue paper. Lilith looked at the results and saw that the pants had been cut right below the crotch.

'Well, I wanted to make shorts out of them, except now they're really short!' Lilith thought in surprise.

Dropping the pants legs, Lilith pulled on the shorts to see if they would fit. They were just a little bit loose in the waist, but not enough to fall down or anything. They were perfect!

"I wouldn't have thought of doing that." Yeyinde said with a smile. "Now that is showing some intelligence, and ingenuity."

Guan looked at the remains of the coverings on the floor, before looking at Lilith who was smiling as she pulled her top covering down over what she was now wearing as a lower covering. She couldn't resist the curiosity that filled her mind at that point.

"Lilith… did… did you plan to do this when you first saw these leg coverings in the shop?" Guan asked curiously.

Lilith nodded her head, and started to reach down to pick up the other pair of super long pants, when she was suddenly pulled into Gwen's chest.

Guan pulled the ooman pup into an embrace with a very pleased purr. She knew that Lilith had very little to call her own, especially when it came to the type of coverings that that the little female found acceptable. The knowledge that Lilith would use her natural cunning and intelligence to improvise coverings was truly pleasing to her. It told Guan that Lilith was actually trying to make a life for herself among them, and was willing to use what she could to do that. She felt that such a thing was a vast improvement for the pup, instead of trying to end her own life and meet the Dark Hunter; she was actually making an effort to try to improve her life.

Lilith was surprised by getting a hug from the big Predator. It had been so long since she'd received such attention from anyone who cared about her, or even acted like they did, that she wasn't quite sure how to react. It was a strange situation for her, because as much as she wanted the attention, she didn't know how to handle it. She was about to just stand there and not do anything, when she remembered that she used to give the hug back, and that it felt good to do so.

Guan had been about to release the little pup, when she felt one of Lilith's arms slide up and around her back to return the embrace. Lilith wasn't returning the embrace completely, but that didn't stop her from being pleased with the tentative, almost hesitant response. She held Lilith a bit tighter for a moment while being careful to avoid the wounds on the pup's back, then she released the little female.

Once Gwen let her go, Lilith reached down and picked up the other pair of super long pants. She folded them in half at the waist, so that she could show Gwen where to cut them for her. As soon as Gwen cut the super long pants, Lilith was grinning in delight. She took the cut off shorts and the rest of the T-shirts, and put them in her closet, so that she could use them for pajamas. That was when Lilith froze as she remembered her cigarettes and lighter in her pants pocket.

Guan watched as the little ooman pup placed the coverings in her closet. Then the pup turned around and stiffened. She could smell the sudden increase in Lilith's stress, and saw an expression of near fright cross the pup's face. Then the pup bolted out of the room.

Guan and her Hunt sisters quickly followed Lilith as the pup ran straight to the bathing room. She saw the pup run straight to the chute where soiled coverings were moved into a room to be sterilized. When Lilith started to try to squirm her way into the chute, Guan stepped forward and pulled her back quickly.

"That is not a place for you to go Lilith. I put your coverings in there so they can be cleaned. You can have them back when that is done." Guan told her firmly.

Lilith wanted to tell Gwen that she'd left her cigarettes and lighter in the pocket of her pants, but didn't know how to do that with out actually talking. In desperation she looked around the room while wracking her brain as she tried to think. That was when she spotted her necklace still laying on the floor where she'd placed it. She ran over and picked it up.

"Yes, you left that in here, and I was waiting to see if you would remember leaving it. You need to have that on and visible any time you leave this house." Guan stated while slightly confused at Lilith's actions.

Lilith nodded her head and froze as she realized exactly how to make Gwen understand why she wanted her pants. She pointed to her necklace, and then pulled up her shirt. She put the necklace in the pocket of the cut off shorts. It wasn't a very deep pocket, but it was enough to hold the pendant and chain. Then she pointed to the chute where her clothes had been dropped, and pointed at the pocket where the necklace was, before pointing at the chute again.

Yeyinde tilted her head to the right as she looked at where Lilith had put the clan symbol. She stepped over to the pup and examined the spot in those strange leg coverings where the symbol had been put.

"It's like a sheath for a weapon, except… one can place many things in it. It would serve better if it were larger though." Yeyinde remarked interestedly.

"That's why she tried to get into the chute! She must have had something in those soiled leg coverings." Than-guan-thwei exclaimed as she realized what was going on.

"I would have to agree with that," Than-guan said readily, "With the way she's acting; I'm not sure it could be anything else."

Guan looked at Lilith curiously. "Did you leave something in those leg coverings?"

Lilith nodded her head emphatically.

"Come then, I'll show you were the soiled coverings are cleansed." Guan instructed as she began to lead the way.

Guan observed Lilith carefully as she led the way. She had picked up the strong increase in the stress that was contained in Lilith's scent, and she found that very disturbing. She couldn't help but wonder why Lilith was severely stressed over whatever might be in those soiled coverings… then she realized that it would have to be something Lilith had possessed prior to her arrival here. As little as the ooman had owned before this day, Guan could understand the pup's apprehension.

When Gwen showed her where her dirty clothes had gone, Lilith quickly rifled through the pockets and grabbed her cigarettes and lighter, but didn't have a pocket large enough to put them in. She turned to Gwen with a wide smile of relief, and nodded her head.

"That is what you wanted then?" Guan asked quickly. "Good! Do not forget such things in your coverings again, because they might well get sterilized before you remember where you left those items, understand?" She added as a warning.

Lilith nodded her head in understanding before she ran back to her room. She put her cigarettes and lighter in her closet, before she turned to get the rest of her clothes. She bent down to pick them up when all four of the female Predators walked in.

Guan watched Lilith curiously as the little ooman female was very gentle about placing her coverings in her closet. After she finished putting her coverings away, the little ooman picked up one object and placed it against a wall at head height for her. She looked behind it for a moment, before she stuck a single finger on the wall behind the object. That was when the ooman pup turned to her and held up the strange rectangular object with only one finger behind it. Curious, she walked over to see how the object was being supported.

Guan found herself surrounded by all three of her Hunt Sisters, and she knew that they too were curious about the object and what ever it was that Lilith was doing with it. As she moved around to see the back side of the object, she could tell that Lilith was using a single finger to support it.

"Okay, so you can hold that up with one finger. Why are you showing me this?" Guan asked as her head tilted to the right in curiosity.

Lilith quickly grabbed the mirror in a better grip and acted like she was going to hang it on the wall.

'Why is she trying to get that to stay on the wall? There's no peg there for it to…' Guan thought as understanding dawned on her.

"I'm guessing that you'd like a peg to hang that on… is that right Lilith?" Guan asked easily.

When Lilith nodded in the affirmative, Guan smiled at the pup's ingenuity. "I will retrieve a peg for you then." She said with an approving nod.

Lilith moved immediately to put the mirror down and held up six fingers after doing a quick count of what she'd need. She wasn't sure if Gwen would understand about the nails or not because Gwen said "peg", when what she needed were nails to hang stuff on. She watched apprehensively as Gwen left the room, to return a moment later with a small gun looking thing. As soon as she saw it, Lilith's blood ran cold. It reminded her of the last time she'd seen her father, and she wanted nothing to do with a gun.

"Now Lilith… where do you want pegs installed?" Guan asked lightly. She knew that pegs were normally used in ones room to hang weapons and armor, but Lilith didn't have any of those things yet, so she was more than a bit curious about what the ooman would place on the pegs.

Lilith quickly grabbed a black map pencil out of the shoebox and checked the position again, before making a mark and pointing to it.

Guan knew that Lilith had done something to the wall in front of her, but she had no idea what because neither her natural thermal vision, nor any of the visual modes of her mask could detect what it might have been. The thing was; she had seen where Lilith had tried to mark the wall even though her tool had left no indention. She quickly used ejector which relied on compressed air to propel the peg far enough into a wall to support any object hung on it, and put the peg in place.

Guan watched as Lilith looked at the peg with a frown, before hanging the strange object on it. It took the little ooman a few tries, but she finally managed it. Then Lilith stepped back and smiled, before motioning for her to follow. She followed Lilith a short way along the wall before the pup retrieved a large cylinder, and with careful, gentle movements, pulled something out if it, before unrolling whatever it was.

Lilith went around her room, getting Gwen to put those weird looking nails or 'pegs' as she called them, in the walls so that she could put up the four hangings, and memo board after she'd hung the mirror. She stepped back to look at the result and almost smiled.

Guan looked around the room that was now Lilith's after having once belonged to her sons. She saw that almost everything was either placed in various containers or was stacked neatly. The only exception to that were the numerous playthings that had been there prior to Lilith's arrival. That was when she noticed that even they were positioned along the edges of the walls as if watching the room for some reason. She thought that it was a strange way of arranging the room, but that was how Lilith wanted it.

"Is there anything else you need Lilith? The four of us are going to go check on Thwei-de-guan and make sure that she's getting what she needs to continue with her training." Guan asked.

Lilith shook her head as she looked around and actually admired how the room looked. There still wasn't any paint on the tan colored walls, but that was kind of okay because she now had a few things to break up the plain color. She planned on taking some pictures to put on the memo board later, but right now she wanted to go play with something that she was eager to use.

"Good." Guan said as she stepped out of the room and made some adjustments to the control mechanism. "Lilith, I know my sons will not bother you in here, but you should understand, that no male may enter without a having female with him. Since the only females who are able to enter are you, the four of us and Bakuub so there won't be any problems. The only one who won't signal before she enters is Bakuub… understand?"

Lilith nodded her head as she went and put the coloring book and box of map pencils by her bean bag before going over to the dinning room table and climbed up in Gwen's chair. That was when she frowned because the table was still as high as her nose. She huffed angrily and got down before climbing up into her own booster chair. She hated the stupid thing, but she had to admit that she needed it to sit at the table. She placed the rack with the thirteen balls on the table, and pulled back two on one side and three on the other before letting them go at the same time.

Lilith sat at the table and played with the … whatever it was… for a while. Then she thought of something else to do. She was sure that doing it wouldn't be easy, but if she could pull it off, it would be a load of fun! She grabbed her… well toy, because she had no idea what it was actually called and jumped out of her chair before she ran to her room.

Once she was in her room, Lilith was digging through the box that had the water guns in it. She froze as something occurred to her, and then she grabbed two water guns and one balloon. Then, she was off and running to the bathroom. She filled one water gun up with very warm water, and the other with water that was almost freezing, and then she filled the water balloon up with freezing cold water as well.

There was a large smirk on Lilith's face as she left the bathroom in search of Scar. She saw him almost as soon as she left the bathroom. She waited until he had just walked into the living room before she nailed him right in the back with the water balloon.

All of Setg'in's breath was released a blood curdling roar of shock and surprise as the freezing cold water splashed across his back. Even though he was struggling to recover his breath from the shock of the cold water, he spun around and ejected his wrist blades to face what ever had attacked him in his own home.

Setg'in froze in surprise to see no one but Lilith standing in front of him with an expression of shock as she stared at his extended wrist blades. Then the little ooman dropped one of the weapons she held and began plastering him with more of that shockingly cold water! Even as the little pest ran from him while shooting water at him, Setg'in was observant enough to note how the strange weapon was operated. He lunged forwards and snatched up the dropped weapon before he began firing back at Lilith.

Lilith shrieked as she got pelted with water from the super soaker that was now in Scar's hands. That shriek immediately devolved into a giggle as she steadily returned fire in an all out water gun war!

Hulij-bpe's blood ran cold when he heard his youngest and smallest brother let out that roar. He froze in sheer disbelieve for a few breaths before a second and much higher pitched shriek shocked him into mobility. He burst from his room and ran down the hall into the main room where the sounds were coming from. By now loud roars with accompanied by the sounds of someone giggling with laughter.

As he entered the main room, Hulij-bpe was prepared to see almost anything except what he actually saw! Setg'in and Lilith were using weapons against each other, although neither was actually being harmed by those weapons. He could smell the water in the air, and knew that was what was emerging from the weapons. He froze, and stared in total confusion as the two continued to shoot and pelt each other with those strange weapons that fired water instead of plasma.

As Hulij-bpe stood there and watched in disbelief, Lilith apparently ran out of water in her weapon, and was snickering as she ran towards her room. Setg'in quickly followed while firing at Lilith even as the little ooman bolted into her room. His brother wasn't very pleased to find that the door would not open for him though.

As soon as she realized that Scar couldn't get in, Lilith ran over to the stuff she had stacked along the wall. She started digging in to the boxes of toy swords and pulling everything out of them. She took a long knife and sword scabbard off the plastic belt of one set and put them on another. It took her a few minutes to get both the swords and the two knives positioned where she wanted them on the plastic belt so she could get to them fastened. Then she got two more of the foam rubber swords before darting out of her room.

Setg'in stared at the little ooman as she came out of her room holding a sword in each hand while wearing two more. That water casting weapon was one thing, because while incredibly irritating with the water being so cold, it was still nothing more than an obvious plaything. Swords were another matter entirely.

Lilith saw Scar flick his wrist to extend those twin blades and quickly glanced at the door to her room which was behind him. There was no way that she could run past him and get to it. She'd only wanted to antagonize him a little, but now things were serious. Without even thinking about what she was doing; she threw one of the toy swords at him and turned to run.

Setg'in heard his brother's indrawn breath of surprise as he caught the… weapon? The hilt that he'd grabbed didn't feel right, and in surprised curiosity he began to examine the sword that had been thrown at him. Even as he realized that the thing was actually harmless, he could smell his brother's rising anger.

"Relax Brother… this must be another of her playthings. It has no edge, and can't even be used to score the rind of a naxa fruit. Her plasma caster that only fires water is more of an actual weapon than this is, because the water she was firing was pauk-de cold! This… might poke an eye out, but that's all." Setg'in said quickly.

"That… that won't hurt you if she hits you with it?" Hulij-bpe asked in confusion.

In answer, his brother retracted his wrist blades before placing the tip of Lilith's sword against his palm and pushing on it as if to impale his hand. The result was that the blade of the thing only bent against the palm of his hand. With a large and obvious curve in the blade of the supposed weapon, Hulij-bpe could only stare as his confusion grew.

"What… what use is a sword that is completely harmless?" Hulij-bpe stammered.

"As a weapon… none!" Setg'in answered as he stared at his brother for a moment before a slow smile spread through his mandibles. "But as a method of training? It is perfect! Think about it… with these, we can teach Lilith how to use a sword properly, and it won't cause any injury to her if she fails to block a strike. It has the proper shape and balance, but not the weight or the edge. It is a perfect training tool!"

When his brother said that, Hulij-bpe knew that Setg'in was stating fact. If it was harmless then it wouldn't matter how many times someone got hit, because that could only teach them to block or avoid that strike in the future. Hulij-bpe smiled widely as he stared at his grinning brother.

"Let's go find her and take her to the kherite!"

The two found Lilith in the main room crouched next to Bakuub. There was an acrid scent of fear pouring off of the little ooman female and she was watching them warily.

"It's a good thing you threw one of these at me Lilith. If you hadn't I would never have known that they are actually harmless and only resemble actual swords that can be used to kill. Since you seem to be wearing two more of them in addition to the one in your hand, why don't you come with us to the kherite and we will start teaching you how to properly use them?" Setg'in suggested with a grin.

When Guan entered her home she could hear loud growls and snarls coming from upstairs in the kherite. It was nothing more than curiosity that drove her upstairs to see what her son was doing. After having raised him, Guan knew that the voice was that of Setg'in, but what she didn't know, was why he was being so vocal while training.

Guan quickly headed up to the kherite, followed by her three Hunt Sisters after each of the four females had dropped a bundle near the entrance. With those three females at her back, Guan had no qualms about walking into a potentially dangerous situation. While there were often those who did not even acknowledge the bond that was considered to be formed by taking the Chiva together, Guan, Than-guan, Than-guan-thwei, and Yeyinde had chosen to both honor that bond and strengthen it. The four females had become fast friends and were as close as sisters born. To them, they were sisters in every way except genetically. Guan was the eldest by two years, while Than-guan was the second eldest by half a day. Yeyinde might be the youngest of them by three years, but she was no less cherished than any other. As long as the four of them were together, they felt that there were few obstacles that they could not overcome by team work.

Guan entered the kherite to see Setg'in bearing down on Lilith with a knife in his hand. Although it was something that she never would have expected to see, Guan was spurred into instant action. As fast as she could possibly move, she was grabbing Lilith by her shoulder to pull her away from the intended blow which she knew would have been fatal. Before she could even begin to demand what was happening, Lilith had turned in her grasp and was in the process of stabbing her with a blade of her own.

Guan stared down at the knife in Lilith's hand as the blade merely bent against the skin of her stomach. She had heard that oomans didn't have the knowledge to make metals as durable as their own, but surely that were able to construct better materials than this? She stared in disbelief as Lilith frowned up at her before jabbing that flimsy blade against her stomach several more times. Each time the knife hit her skin, the blade only flexed and bent without leaving so much as a scratch or bruise behind.

"What in the name of the Gods is that thing?" Than-guan demanded.

"I don't know, but it looks like a knife, and even has the balance of one, but our claws can do a lot more damage than these can." Setg'in exclaimed with grin. "Look!"

Setg'in smiled smugly as he ran the blade of the knife he'd gotten from Lilith across his fingers. There was a rapid flapping sound as the knife flexed and bent before snapping against the next finger.

Guan stared with her mandibles slack in stark disbelief as she watched her son's demonstration, then, she blinked, and her mounting anger dissipated into confusion.

"Where could you possibly have acquired such a useless weapon?" Guan asked finally.

"Well they might be useless as far as actual combat is concerned, but they are great for practice. As for where I got them, you'll have to ask Lilith that. She let me use this one, but the swords are made of the same material. They can't break the skin, but they can be used to teach. So Hulij-bpe and I have been showing Lilith how to use them. She has one for each hand while Hulij-bpe and I only use one each; but between the two of us… we are showing her how to properly defend herself." Setg'in explained easily.

"Show me these swords." Guan promptly demanded.

When Setg'in gestured to him, Hulij-bpe smiled and proudly showed his mother the sword that Lilith had handed to him. "See? It's just as Setg'in said, it can't cause any injury, and it doesn't have the proper weight, but it's still great to practice with."

Hulij-bpe's smile faltered a bit as all four of the females gathered around and frowned at the blade. Finally... Yeyinde turned to face Lilith.

"Lilith… may I examine this weapon?" Yeyinde asked softly.

Every Yautja in the room held their breath, because they knew that such a request was not exactly polite in nature. Yeyinde had phrased her request both politely, and with utmost respect, it was still a question that wasn't normally asked. When Lilith nodded her head, Yeyinde smiled at the ooman.

"Thank you Lilith, I will not damage it any way." Yeyinde said as she smiled and bowed her head respectfully.

Yeyinde examined the strange material of the weapon and was truly shocked. There was no possible way that such a thing could be used to cause harm unless it was deliberate. The only way that an injury could possibly occur would be for a fully grown Yautja to use all of their strength to strike Lilith in a way that might break a bone, but given the rather flimsy nature of whatever material this sword was made of, even that would be doubtful.

Yeyinde looked up from the weapon in her hands to stare at Guan and her sisters. "Setg'in is right; this can't cause any injury while sparring with it. I would have thought that he was joking, but he isn't!"

Judging by the way that Gwen and the others were acting, Lilith figured that there was a good chance that she would get in serious trouble for the rubber swords. She started backing away from them slowly, hoping that she'd get the chance to run, even though she knew they could catch her easily. She was ready to turn and run for it anyway when Gwen looked over at her and smiled.

"It would seem that you deliberately chose many things that are more than mere playthings. Items for proper hygiene, coverings, and now I learn that you also chose items for proper training. Very well done Lilith!" Guan said approvingly.

Lilith was surprised… she had expected to be in serious trouble, but here Gwen was actually saying that she'd done something right. This was certainly not what she'd expected. She knew that she had done several things to get beaten for, but none of the Predators seemed to care anything about the things she had done.

"Come Lilith," Guan said in a proud tone. "It's time for us to prepare the evening meal. We will eat and then relax in the main room before a fire while you teach us how to properly tend to our armor so that it looks like new."

Lilith gaped at Gwen, while Thingy gathered the rubber swords and knives from Celtic and Scar, before handing them to her hilt first. Lilith nodded at Thingy, before she left the room, and scampered down the stairs before entering her room. She immediately went over to put the toys back in the boxes when she heard the door slide open behind her. Lilith glanced over at the door to see Gwen followed by the 'Thing Sisters' walk into her room.

Lilith turned back to what she'd intended to do and began putting the stuff back in the boxes that had been in when she got them.

"I remember you choosing those items Lilith… did you have such training in mind when you did?" Guan asked when she spotted the long rectangular containers.

Lilith swallowed hard before she nodded her head nervously and with a little hesitation. She wasn't really sure if Gwen would let her learn to use a sword or not. Suddenly, she found herself snatched into Gwen's arms while pressed firmly against the Predator's body.

Guan released a loud and powerful purr of pride and satisfaction as the pulled Lilith into her arms and stood up while firmly embracing the ooman pup. There was a very pleased smile to her mandibles as she turned to face her Hunt Sisters.

"Lilith has only today finished her First Hunt, and already she acts in anticipation of the day that she can become a Blooded Warrior! Tell me that isn't a sign of a Warrior's Honor!" Guan stated proudly as she looked each of her Hunt Sisters in the eye.

"That is an Honorable goal!" Than-guan exclaimed quickly. "Lilith, you are to be commended for deciding on such a path. I will not tell you that such a thing is easy, because it isn't, but it will be a path that you may take pride in achieving."

"I agree with my eldest sister Lilith. Becoming a Blooded Warrior is difficult, because facing the hard meat is never easy, but the position is one that will gain you a lot of respect, and honor." Yeyinde said with a purr of approval.

Than-guan-thwei looked at the pup that was being proudly cradled in Guan's arms as the female hugged the little ooman firmly. She couldn't help but be impressed by the little ooman; as small as she was, she had encountered the hard meat. She knew that such an experience usually inspired some level of fear, especially in those who weren't properly prepared. She knew beyond any doubts that Lilith couldn't possibly have been prepared to face the hard meat, but she showed honorable courage in the way they had been faced down, and to save the life of a better trained and prepared candidate as well, made what Lilith had accomplished something incredible. Now it seemed that Lilith was only getting started, and she thought that was good.

Lilith wasn't sure, but she thought that Gwen and the others sounded glad that she wanted to learn how to fight.

Guan maintained her satisfied purring as she carried Lilith to the main room and placed her in one of the chairs. "I want you to relax now Lilith. You have been busy today, so just rest while I prepare the evening meal."

Lilith watched Gwen walk into the kitchen. Even though they called it the 'food preparation and storage room'; she still knew it was a kitchen. She shook her head and looked around. That was when she noticed that she was hot and sweaty from fighting with Scar and Celtic. That and the water gun fight meant that she really needed another bath. She had no idea how these Predators would feel about her being at the dinner table all hot, sweaty, and soaking wet, but she wasn't too happy about it. She got up and headed to her room to grab a change of clothes. When she got to her room, Lilith grabbed a shirt, pair of underwear, and the second pair of shorts. That was when she thought about the swim floats. The idea of trying them out was almost irresistible, so she grabbed those too, before heading back to the room where the swimming pool sized tub was.

Yeyinde tightened her mandibles in a frown. She moved quickly as she went to find Lilith. The little ooman female wasn't in the main room where she'd been left, nor was she in her own room. So now, Yeyinde was following the scent left by the little ooman, but that scent led to the bath, and she knew that Lilith had already bathed.

All confusion flew from Yeyinde's mind when she entered the bathing chamber and was almost overwhelmed by the stench created by the combined and very strong scents of fear and stress. Her eyes started to water, and her mandibles tightened up against her face in an effort to block out some of the smell. The sound of water splashing made her blood feel like it was freezing solid in her veins. She was almost afraid to look towards the bathing pool even though she was already moving in that direction at high speed. She was moving so fast that she was almost in the water before she even spotted Lilith struggling in the very center of the bathing pool.

Half a dozen questions flew through Yeyinde's mind as she dove into the water to promptly grab Lilith and pull her to the side. She placed the ooman female on the side of the pool, before getting out herself. Then she picked up the tiny female and moved her further away from the pool before kneeling down to look Lilith in the eyes.

"Lilith, are you alright?" Yeyinde asked quickly.

Lilith nodded her head. She knew that she'd only been trying the floats out, but once she had them on her upper arms where they were supposed to go, and had gotten back in the water, she couldn't touch the steps. That was how she'd ended up drifting into the middle of the pool.

Yeyinde looked Lilith over carefully. She could see that Lilith was physically very tired, but unharmed otherwise. "Lilith, I have told you that I would teach you how to swim, and I will do that. But I don't have the time today…."

Yeyinde paused in what she was saying as she spotted the strange objects on Lilith's upper arms. That was when she realized that Lilith had been struggling on top of the water! She tilted her head to the side as she looked at Lilith curiously. "Lilith… did these… things keep you from going under and drowning?"

Lilith nodded her head again. She couldn't help but wonder if Thingy was going to get mad and punish her for doing what she'd done, and she really didn't want to start hurting any more than she usually did.

"Good! I want you to keep those here so that you may use them when you enter the bathing pool. I want you to continue to use those until I am sure of your swimming ability." Yeyinde ordered in a pleased tone. "Now, let's get you into some dry coverings, the evening meal is almost ready."

Lilith could hardly believe what was happening as Thingy actually helped her get dressed by handing her the pieces of clothing after she had taken off the swim floats and dried off. That was when Thingy started that purring sound as the Predator picked her up and carried her out of the bath. Straight to the dinning room table where everyone was starting to take a seat.

Lilith could see that more chairs had been added, so that the Thing Sisters now sat across from her booster chair. Scar was now sitting by Old Bruce, and Rave and Celtic had just been moved down a spot. The only ones who hadn't had their chairs moved when her, Gwen, and Old Bruce. Thingy was sitting across from her, next to Gwen, and Thing-one was next to Old Bruce with Thing-two in the middle.

Lilith saw that Gwen was still bringing some of the food to the table, and that was when she remembered some of the stuff she had in her room. She jumped out of her chair and sprawled on the floor before running to her room. She grabbed what she wanted, and then bolted back to the table to face bewildered stares from everyone there. She reached up and set the stuff on the table before climbing back into her booster chair.

Lilith watched apprehensively as everyone started fixing a plate of food. She was starting to get more than a little agitated because she couldn't reach anything to fix her own plate. Suddenly, Thingy reached across the table and took her plate while leaving the one she had just fixed in its place. Lilith looked at the Predator suspiciously for a brief instant before she pulled the plate closer to her. She quickly mixed a bit of pink lemonade powder in the cup of water that was sitting next to her plate and stirred it up before using her fork and knife to avoid eating like an animal.

Guan stared in fascinated horror as Lilith used some rather interesting tools to eat with. She recognized the knife that the pup was using to cut the strips of meat and fruit into smaller pieces that were more easily consumed, but the other thing that was used to either scoop up the pieces like a spoon, or spear them to be placed in the mouth was completely unknown to her. While those tools were both strange and interesting enough, it was the other thing that Lilith had brought to the table that made her stomach want to rebel.

"I have no idea what that stuff is, but it smells very similar to sleeping draught. I know it isn't sleeping draught, because that can't be made into a powder. So what is that disgusting smelling substance?" Than-guan demanded sourly.

"Lilith… is that powdered substance something from your world that you are familiar with?" Yeyinde asked with a shudder.

Lilith shoved a piece of meat in her mouth with the fork and nodded her head at Thingy in answer to the question. She took a quick gulp of her pink lemonade to wash down what she was eating and smiled over at the Predator while nodding her head to show that she was thoroughly enjoying her food.

Guan looked at the cup filled with the foul smelling substance in dismay. She had heard somewhere that oomans often drank many things and that a lot of them were mixed with water… but never would she have guessed about the existence of this one that Lilith apparently liked!

"Well… whatever it is, it is definitely not sleeping draught, because there are no sedatives in it. There is a very mild amount of stimulant in it, but not enough to preclude her having it." Yeyinde explained after using her mask and wrist computer to analyze the substance that Lilith was happily consuming. "Lilith… do you actually like that stuff?"

Once again, Lilith nodded her head happily at Thingy before taking another swallow of her pink lemonade. When she saw the looks and shudders of disgust from everyone one of the Predators, she was sure that they were going to take it away from her. A sense of disappointment filled her mind as she slid the plastic container over towards Gwen.

"Isn't that one of the things you purchased after we ate?" Setg'in asked as he looked down the table at the container of stuff.

Guan saw Lilith nod her head in answer to her son's question, and released a breath of irritation. She knew that what Lilith had purchased on her own had been done with money gain from the sale of a trophy. That meant there was no honorable way that it could be taken from her… regardless of how others might feel about it.

"Lilith… I want you to understand that we find what you are drinking to be disgusting. The smell and taste of sleeping draught is not something that anyone likes! I… we have now learned of an exception to that. I know that what you have mixed in that cup and the powder in that container is not sleeping draught, but it smells much the same. No one here will stop you from… enjoying it… but I will ask that you do not do so while we are eating. If you want something other than water to drink with your meal, I can provide Naxa juice, or broth… do you understand?" Guan said firmly but gently as well.

Lilith nodded her head, because what she understood out of that was that these Predators didn't want to smell her pink lemonade while they were eating. That was fine with her; she could have some after they ate, so it wouldn't bother them. At least they weren't taking it away from her. She grabbed her cup and gulped down the contents before shuddering and smiling. Then she pointed over at the pitcher of water. Gwen only nodded with a smile and poured some water in her cup.

After they finished eating, everyone moved to what Lilith thought of as the living room. Lilith promptly went and flopped down on her bean bag, and reached for her coloring books.

Than-guan gaped at Lilith as the little female sprawled in the what-ever-that-was in surprise. Then she was quickly grabbing her mask while looking at Lilith in each of the various spectrums that the mask offered. She could then see that every joint was properly supported, but very relaxed at the same time.

"Lilith? Is that something from your world?" Than-guan asked curiously.

Lilith nodded her head and with some irritation and nervousness wondered if the bean bag was going to be something else that they didn't like.

"Look at this!" Than-guan exclaimed to her sisters excitedly. "That… thing allows Lilith's body to be relaxed in a completely natural state!" That was when everyone gathered around while staring at Lilith; some of them used their mask to examine exactly what she was referring to.

Guan let out a short bark of wry laughter upon realizing what Lilith had done. Acceptable coverings, hygiene articles, tools used for eating, weapons that were perfect for training, and now she also learned of furniture that the pup had chosen. It was immediately obvious that Lilith was going to teach her many things in the future, and she had to wonder if she would be able to keep up with the pup's ingenuity.

Guan shook her head with some confusion at Lilith's behavior this day. It was as if the pup was suddenly being driven to become a Blooded Warrior along with making a life for herself with them. Whatever the underlying cause of Lilith's actions, Guan knew that she would not discover the answer until Lilith chose to break her silence and speak to them. Shaking her head again, she went and started building a fire after moving the partial shield away. She could readily see that the device would allow the heat and light through, but should stop errant sparks from leaving the fire pit. As soon as the fire was built, she sat down and allowed her food to digest.

Lilith had colored a few different pages in one of the coloring books after Gwen had built a fire. She had to admit that it was really nice to just relax in front of a fire and color by the light it gave off. She was actually enjoying just sitting without bothering anyone while listening to Gwen and the others talk about the kind of day they'd had. It was a seriously big difference from the way she'd had to live in the basement. This seemed almost… normal!

Guan looked around the main room and saw that everyone was relaxed, and in good spirits. That meant that this would be a good time for Lilith to teach them some of what she knew. "Is everyone ready to take some lessons from Lilith in how to properly polish a set of armor?" A round of enthusiastic answers were unanimous in their agreement because they all wanted to know how to properly maintain equipment that their lives often depended on.

"Good… Lilith, will you show us the method that you used to polish our armor last night?" Guan asked as she stood facing the ooman pup. "You do not have to if you do not want to, and no one here will try to make you, but I can say that all of us would greatly appreciate any lessons you give us."

Lilith looked up from her coloring book. It was a really easy picture to color since it was a frog sitting on a lily pad, but the last time she had done such a thing was more than four years ago. She could see that Gwen had a very serious expression on her face and a firm set to her mandibles.

Lilith nodded her head and set her coloring book with the others before putting up the pencils she'd been using. Then she got up and went to the center of the room where everyone was seated on the floor while getting out a set of the armor that they intended to polish.

"I had to purchase another set of armor just so I could learn this method from her. Normally, we must each learn how to polish and clean our armor on our own, and that is how things have been for many, many generations. However, whatever method Lilith used is not only different, but clearly better than the techniques that we have known and used for thousands of years. I am well aware that I shouldn't have asked to begin with, but Lilith has agreed to show us what she did last night. I will not be asking her to show us this again!" Guan lectured sternly.

"I can't help but agree with you on that one Hunt Sister. I have heard of some Yautja who charge for the service of polishing armor because they excel at the skill, but even then it doesn't look like new. If Lilith chooses to give us any of her secrets for polishing our armor, then it only shows her honor, because no one else would do such a thing!" Than-guan exclaimed quickly.

"Well Lilith… what should we do first?" Kwei asked as he got a small jar of metal polish out of his cleaning kit.

Lilith watched as everyone got out the stuff they usually started with. She had no idea what any of it was, or what it was used for. All she really knew about any of it was that the stuff was supposed to polish metal. She sat down on the floor, and only watched as Gwen placed a carrier looking box with a handle in the center, but a space on each side to hold the small jars, rags, and other stuff that was in there. Lilith picked up the rags, and began to look through them. She finally found the one she was looking for. It had a finer grit than any of the other polishing cloths, and she knew that it was the kind she had used on that weird helmet looking thing the first night she had been here. It was also what she had used last night. She placed the cloth to one side before she put the other stuff back in the box, and then she picked up the cloth before holding it out to Gwen.

Guan accepted the cleaning cloth that Lilith was offering to her. She easily recognized that it was the same grit as the cloth that Lilith had used during her first night in her home. She looked at it for a moment, before studying the pup curiously.

"Lilith… is this what you used to polish all of our armor last night?" Guan asked suspiciously.

Lilith nodded her head. She wasn't sure what was expected of her, and she didn't want to be in any trouble either, because she knew she already had enough of that coming for the things she had done today.

"Is this the only thing you used?" Guan demanded as her suspicions rose even higher.

Again, Lilith nodded her head. Now she was getting worried because Gwen didn't seem to be very happy about the way this was going, and she didn't know what to do about that. She was now sure that she was going to get it bad. She lowered her head, and closed her eyes so she wouldn't have to see what was coming.

Guan could smell the sudden increase of fear that Lilith was experiencing at that moment, but she had no idea why the Little One would become afraid for no apparent reason.

"What is it Guan? What's wrong?" Than-guan asked after glancing at Lilith.

"This cloth is the finest grit we have. I would normally use this for removing tiny scratches and things of that nature… but this is what Lilith used. It is the only thing she used!" Guan replied with a low growl.

"If that was all she used, then it must have taken her all night to get our armor looking like this. I remember how much time she spent on your old mask mother, and she had to switch hands several times just to accomplish that." Setg'in said with a frowning set to his mandibles.

"Exactly! That means she's been without the sleep that a pup needs for proper growth!" Guan growled.

Guan turned her attention back to Lilith, before she reached out and gently raised the little female's head to get the pup to look at her. Once Lilith opened her eyes, Guan began to speak. "Little One, I know that you are tired. You have to be! You can't have gotten to sleep for very long before I woke you up to eat, and that means the only restful sleep you've had this day was when I was holding you this morning… wasn't it?" Guan asked in a concerned tone.

Lilith nodded her head and tried to lower her head to look down, but Gwen wouldn't let her, because she still had hold of her head. She raised her eyes to look back at the larger Predator nervously.

"Lilith… when we are finished here, I want you to sleep this night. I want you to rest! Is that understood?" Guan demanded gently.

Lilith nodded her head again. She was surprised that Gwen actually seemed to care whether or not she got enough sleep. This was weird… instead of punishing her for the things that she knew she'd done wrong today, Gwen was acting like she actually cared about her! She knew that Gwen wouldn't stay concerned like that forever though… as soon as Gwen learned or figured out the truth about what a worthless mistake she was, it would all end, and she'd be in pain again.

With the little pup sitting right next to her, Guan couldn't help but smell the stress and anxiety coming from Lilith. It caused a strange thought to flow through her mind.

'She can't be that concerned about making some type of mistake while instructing us… can she? Why? Why would simply instructing us cause her to be so afraid? This doesn't make any sense!' Guan thought in irritation.

"You would do well to heed her words, Lilith. After the way you exerted yourself in cleansing an entire nest of tunnel runners, you will need plenty of proper rest after not getting that last night. You will also need to rest and allow the healing serum to have a proper effect on you." Than-guan stated as she reinforced what her friend and Hunt Sister had said.

Lilith looked over at Thing-one in surprise, because this was another Predator who was acting like they actually cared about her. It was something that made her extremely nervous because of the truth that she knew about herself, but at the same time it gave her a feeling that she'd been missing for years while chained in the basement.

"I am not exactly certain what that expression means Lilith, but I am telling you that you will sleep this night, and if I have to stand over you to ensure that it happens, then that is exactly what I will do." Than-guan stated firmly.

"If Lilith were a male, I would use an ooman phrase and say 'get in line', but I'm not nearly stupid enough to get involved in one female taking care of a female pup. Although, I too believe that she needs the rest, and that she has earned it!" Setg'in said with a smile.

Guan gaped over at her son in surprise, while everyone else did the same. "Where did you learn about an ooman phrase?" She asked suspiciously.

"I've been doing a bit of reading on the ooman world, the culture, and some of the phrases used in one of the areas that Lilith might have come from. We know the language, because of what the adult oomans were speaking during our Chiva, but that language is apparently becoming a common one among the oomans. They are a very interesting species, and I can already see that Lilith is a very interesting example of that species. We know that they are cunning, intelligent, and able to become very dangerous when necessary. But… what I've seen today… gives me the impression that they also do not forget things easily, and they certainly do not forgive easily. If such were the case, Lilith wouldn't have hunted down the entire nest. She would have been satisfied with killing the single tunnel runner that startled her. Instead, she killed them all with such an intense wrath that even Thwei-de Thei-de was concerned about it. In fact, I do not think further hunting of oomans is advisable. From what I have learned in the past two days, they really do not forgive being wronged! There are many accounts of entire clans of oomans fighting and killing each other over something that occurred to a distant ancestor so many generations prior that none of the living oomans really know the actual cause." Setg'in explained as he stared at his armor while deep in thought.

"That may well be a certainty, but that will need to be discussed at another time, for now, we should give our full attention to Lilith, so we can learn what she is willing to teach." Guan replied before turning to Lilith. "Now Lilith, will you show us what we must do to get our armor looking like new as you did last night?"

Lilith nodded her head and scrounged through the cleaning kit that Gwen had put in front of her. She wasn't able to find another cloth like the one she'd handed Gwen, so she pointed at it before holding her hand open. When Gwen handed her the cloth, she reached out and picked up a solid metal plate before starting to polish it, like she had everything else. That was when Gwen reached out and grabbed both her hands and gently pulled them apart so she couldn't polish the piece of metal.

"No Lilith. We are not here to let you do this… you must show us when we are doing something wrong. I understand that you do not wish to speak, but showing us by example is not the way this will be done. We are going to do the work! You must show us when we are making a mistake… otherwise, you must allow us to do the work; understand?" Guan said gently before releasing Lilith's hands.

Lilith nodded her head and sat back to watch what everyone was going to do. Each of the Predators selected the type of cleaning cloth that had the same fine grit as the one she had picked out.

Lilith watched each of the Predators as they began to rub away at their armor. She knew that she'd been watching them all for at more than an hour, at least it felt that way, when she realized that none of them were doing it the way she had. She shook her head irritably and reached out to grab Celtic's hands. As soon as he looked at her; and it felt strange because even though they were both sitting on the floor, Celtic was still a lot taller than she was; she shook her head at him.

"Why are you telling me no? I'm doing it wrong aren't I?" Celtic asked sullenly just before Lilith pulled her hands away.

At that moment, Lilith would have sworn that Celtic was like some two year old kid who thought they had been skipping rope the right way, only to find out that they weren't. Her mouth quirked into a small frown as she nodded her head.

"But… but, I'm doing this the same way that everyone else is. Doesn't that mean they're doing it wrong too?" Celtic asked almost plaintively.

Lilith looked up at Celtic and nodded her head reluctantly. She didn't want to tell them that they weren't doing it the same way she had, but she knew that she didn't really have any other choice. The way they were going at it would take forever.

"Very well then Lilith, since you are the teacher in this, what is it that we're doing wrong?" Kwei asked respectfully.

Lilith froze as she looked over at Old Bruce in shock. How could she be someone's teacher in anything? She knew that she was a mistake… a worthless mistake at that. All she was doing is showing them what she'd seen on TV one time… how did that make her a teacher? She shook her hear to clear it of thoughts as well as the echoes of her parents voices when they'd always called her that and worse.

Lilith wanted to talk to them… to tell these Predators what they weren't doing right; she wanted to talk so badly, but she knew that as soon as she opened her mouth, they would know her horrible secret. She knew it because her parents had told her such things so many, many times, and why would they lie to her? Didn't the things they did to her, and even the things they made her do to herself… things that hurt so much that she just wanted to die so she could escape from the pain, prove that what they told her was true?

With a frown aimed more at herself for even dreaming about a world where she wasn't a worthless mistake, she reached out and caught Celtic's hands again. She moved them so that he was ready to polish the chest piece that he was working on, but then she started pressing harder on his hands, while at the same time giving a grunt of apparent effort. She knew that she wasn't really pressing hard enough to make such a sound, but she was trying to make it seem that way without accidentally hurting the Predator, because she actually liked him. She had to admit that he could be fun to hang around with… especially when they were making faces at each other.

"Lilith, are you trying to tell us that we need to use more pressure while polishing our armor? Is that how you did it?" Kwei asked after watching Lilith closely.

When Lilith nodded her head, Celtic let out a disgusted grunt.

"It looks like this is going to take a while." Hulij-bpe said moodily.

"Of course it is brother; it might have taken her most of the night, but think about what the result is going to be!" Setg'in said with a grin. "Besides, that was when she was polishing more than a single set of armor; we only need to polish one set."

"Lilith, since you have nothing to do except watch us and make sure that we are doing this to your satisfaction, you should get one of your playthings from your room. That will give you something to do besides stare at hands scrubbing away on armor." Guan suggested.

Lilith looked up at Gwen who was sitting on the floor fairly close to her and thought about that for a moment. It was too dark to really color, since the only light was coming from the fire place, so she got up and went to her room. Once there she grabbed the can of Slime, the plastic skull on a board, along with the 'Clicker Balls' as she'd decided to call the thing, before going back to the living room and sitting down.

Lilith was pretty sure that Gwen wasn't going to be too happy about the Slime, so she decided to see if the battery in the skull worked. She pushed the little red button in front and the skull started letting out a very evil sounding laugh while a pair of red lights in the eyes flashed and the jaw moved. She recognized the voice as that of Vincent… Vincent Price! That was it; Vincent Price; he always used to do evil voices and stuff like that when he was alive. She thought that he had done part of a Michael Jackson song once, but she wasn't sure about that. She was pulled from her thoughts by a question from Celtic.

"Why… why is that trophy… laughing?"

Lilith had never heard someone sound so scared in her life! She couldn't help it as she cracked up and pushed the button again.

"If you must choose between two evils…. Choose the one that you know won't kill you!"

"Where did she get that?" Than-guan demanded.

"Trophies aren't supposed to do that!" Hulij-bpe exclaimed nervously.

As soon as he heard that ooman skull start speaking, Kwei grabbed his mask and began looking at the thing in every spectrum he had available. He quickly saw that it was artificial, and only made to resemble an actual ooman skull.

"Lilith… I know that it is something from your world, but do you know why someone would make such a thing?" Kwei asked as he kept looking at the strange thing that the ooman pup was playing with.

Lilith shrugged, because she really didn't know why people made things like this, but she was glad they did because this one was funny. She cracked a half grin while she pushed the button again. Suddenly David Lee Roth was singing part of one of his old songs. She had never heard the song before, but the word… oh the words were hilarious!

"I… ain't got no body! No body, no body, NooOoo body! I said, I… ain't got no body… so de bop… de bop! De bozly, bozly bop! De bop! De bop!"

Lilith was now laughing so hard she had to lay back and hold her stomach. 'It's just a skull! It doesn't have any arms or legs! 'No body'!' She thought as she started laughing even harder.

Lilith finally rolled to her side and sat up still snickering. That was when she saw that all of the Predators were looking at her with their heads tilted to one side or the other. Old Bruce had even taken off the mask he'd put on and was looking at her weird.

Guan had seen what Lilith had done to make the skull thing start singing. Curious to see if it would now do something else that might be more acceptable, she reached over and pushed the protrusion herself.

"You can always trust an evil person… to be evil!"

Guan's eyes shot wide and her mandibles flexed in silent rage when she heard the strange skull start laughing after having said that. The rage that she felt coursing through her upon hearing that… that thing state that one could always trust a person with no honor was infuriating. She clenched her fist in preparation to smash the thing, and had raised her hand to do so before she remembered that it belonged to Lilith.

When Gwen turned to look at her, Lilith could tell from the corner of her eye that the Predator was way beyond pissed! She turned her head to look at the woman and immediately went as pale as a ghost while her blood ran cold with fear. Every dreadlock on Gwen's head was sticking out; her eyes were narrowed, and her mandibles were spread out while Gwen's whole body quivered with anger. Lilith had no idea what she'd done to make the Predator so mad, but just seeing Gwen so enraged terrified her to no end.

"That actually makes a strange type of sense." Setg'in said thoughtfully as he stared at the strange skull.

Guan's head spun as she quickly looked over at her youngest son in shock. "Explain!" She demanded in a low but deadly growl of anger.

"Simple… a bad-blood is eventually going to act without honor, and if you always expect it, then you will never be surprised by that result." Setg'in explained calmly.

"You might be speaking honorably, but that… that thing was not!" Guan growled to her son before turning back to the ooman pup who positively reeked of fear. "Lilith… that may be one of your playthings, but it is something that I do not want to see again! I would much rather you play with that substance that you used earlier this day which I found to be utterly disgusting. Do you understand what I'm telling you?"

Lilith nodded her head and swallowed hard. That did nothing to get rid of the lump that had formed in her throat, or the large knot that was in her stomach. She just knew that Gwen was going to beat her for playing with the skull that she clearly didn't like.

"Good! Now take those things to your room, you have had a long day, and you need to rest. You can inspect our armor in the morning after the morning meal." Guan said in a gentle tone. "You did very well this day, and you should take pride in your achievement. I don't know of any others who turned their First Hunt into a cleansing."

Lilith nodded her head once more, as she quickly gathered up her toys and headed to her room. At the door, she stopped and let out a two tone whistle that she knew would call Slobber to her side. As soon as the huge beast was next to her, she was licked on the side of her face. Lilith snickered as she entered her room. She was sure that Slobber wasn't going to change.


	20. Part 2

_**Dear Readers,**_

_**A few months has passed for everyone me mostly and I have to say I am sorry for keeping you waiting and worrying. This year has been the worst for me…slowly it is getting better. From the heartfelt PMS to the wonderful reviews, each heart touching. I have missed my place in fanfiction writing for you and for myself. After my mom passed I didn't want to write anymore what could a 21 year old girl gain from writing from anything life is ruined gone…I realize just how wrong I was. Writing is my life my blood it's freedom as it is for all of us here on fanfiction. I apologize to you all for my absence but I am back. I'm here to stay. One more thing to a friend Atraxotax here on fanfiction, give him a look he has some pretty great things I'm sure of it. Read. Laugh. Love. Enjoy.**_

_**Ever gratefully yours,**_

_**Luthinea**_

Guan walked into Lilith's room to see the pup curled up with Bakuub on one side of her and that large stuffed plaything on the other. The sleeping pup had her arms wrapped around the plaything, and was resting with her back nestled firmly against the side of the Yaut hound. She could see that the pup was wearing the strange covering that hung down past the pup's knees, and she couldn't help but wonder if Lilith was actually comfortable in wearing that while sleeping.

"Lilith? Lilith! I need you to wake up now. It's time for the morning meal."

Guan watched as Bakuub raised her head and looked over at her, before nudging Lilith. She watched as the little ooman pup moaned and rubbed her face before sitting up. The pup looked around the room in apparent confusion, before focusing on her. "Come Lilith. It's time for the morning meal."

Lilith nodded her head and set the huge white Teddy bear to one side. She was really glad that Gwen had bought it, because for the second time since she had been chained in the basement, she hadn't had a nightmare. She knew that her nightmares were the kinds of things that either made her wake up ready to scream, or made her wake up with an urge to hide like she had the day before yesterday. Hiding under all the stuffed critters hadn't helped much, but it was better than doing nothing. Lilith just wished she knew how to hide from bad dreams. Being here with these Predators was a lot better than being in the basement, because so far, none of them had even tried to hurt her or make her scream in pain.

It was weird. These Predators looked like monsters out of a really bad nightmare; Scar, Celtic, and Rave had even killed people, but they didn't do anything to her except make her feel like she was actually safe here.

'Any time I want something to eat they give me something and they keep making that purring sound to make me feel better. Gwen even wakes me up so I can eat breakfast with them. They won't even tell me why.' Lilith thought as she followed Gwen to the table.

"Look… she's alive!" Hulij-bpe exclaimed with a laugh.

"Oh… I don't think she's alive yet. It's more like she's in that state which is somewhere between sleep and waking. She is obviously a person who is not fond of mornings… which means she'll be angry at everything!" Setg'in replied with a slight chuckle and a grin.

"I think you're right Little Brother, because she's looking at you like she wants to pound on you for a while." Nihkou'te chimed in with a snicker.

"Stop trying to agitate the Little One and eat your morning meal. She looks irritable enough as it is." Kwei ordered quietly while watching Lilith climb into her chair.

Once Lilith was in her chair she had to wait while Gwen poured a cup of broth and placed it in front of her. As soon as that happened, she was grabbing the cup and drinking the hot broth. She still hadn't learned what it was, but it was hot and good. She had gone through almost half of it, when she spotted the sliced fruits on the serving plate. She set the cup down, and quickly leaned forward and tried to get some of the mango slices that she could see was on the plate, but the plate was just out of reach. Then, before she could try to squirm just a bit closer in her booster chair, a hand reached over and held the plate out to her.

"Get what you like Lilith, just don't eat so fast." Setg'in told the pup with a light smile.

Setg'in watched as Lilith eyed him warily. He was sure that she fully expected him to take the plate of fruit away from her. She grabbed several slices of fruit, and he noticed that she was mainly getting the naxa fruit. The ooman pup settled back in her chair, and began to eat. She didn't eat quite as fast she usually did, but still… at least she had slowed down some.

Than-guan was quietly observing Lilith as the ooman pup ate her morning meal. The little ooman female ate very fast in her opinion, although it wasn't quite as fast as the pup had eaten the first day that she'd met the little female. She couldn't help but notice that Lilith was paying far more attention to what she and the others were doing, than she gave to what she was eating.

"Why is she watching all of us like that?" Than-guan asked in curiosity.

"Because I'm almost positive that those who were starving her often took her food away from her. So she watches to make sure that we won't do the same." Setg'in answered quickly.

"I'd kill anyone who tried to do such a thing!" Yeyinde growled threateningly.

"I agree sister. Such is not the behavior of an honorable warrior." Than-guan stated firmly.

Lilith was so surprised that she actually stopped with a slice of fruit almost to her mouth while she gaped at the Predators. 'Why would she kill someone just for making me go hungry? Why would they care about that? I'm just a worthless mistake, not someone worth fighting over.' She wondered in disbelief.

Lilith continued to watch the Predators warily while she finished eating. Everyone took their dishes and placed them in the sterilizer to be cleaned for later use, before moving to the main room where the fireplace was. She headed towards her bean bag, when she was stopped by Gwen.

"Lilith… will you inspect our armor and let me know if it meets your approval?" Guan asked as everyone began gathering behind her to show off their armor.

Lilith nodded her head and began to look over everything that she could see on each of the Predators. She just had to grin at the sight, because everything had been polished to a high shine, and it looked good on them. She nodded her head and gave a thumbs up before heading to her bean bag chair.

Lilith flopped down on her bean bag, and reached for her coloring books. The box of map pencils and the ten coloring books were things that she had placed by her bean bag so she could sit and color without making any noise or bothering any of the Predators. She sat and colored for a decent amount of time until Old Bruce, Celtic, and Rave had to go do some things. She didn't really pay much attention to what it was though. After they left, Gwen, the Thing Sisters, and Scar were talking about May-day.

Lilith didn't really want to hear about the Predator who had tried to take some food out of her hand yesterday. That was why she got up, went over to Gwen, pointed to herself, and then outside.

"Lilith… if you are asking to go outside; that will not happen until after you are wearing our Clan's symbol. Is that understood?" Guan replied quickly.

Lilith nodded her head with a smile and ran to her room. She decided to change clothes, and put on the black shirt, pants, and boots that Gwen had bought her along with the belt and necklace. Then she went back to the living room where Gwen was still talking with the others.

Guan looked at the pup as she entered the main room. She was wearing the coverings that she'd purchased that first day, and the Clan's symbol was clearly visible. "Very good Lilith. Now you must listen to me on this. You are not to leave the grounds! You may cross the trail that leads to the door, but not the main trail… is that understood?"

Lilith thought about what had been said for a minute before she realized that Gwen had basically said 'stay in the yard and don't cross the street'. Under other circumstances, she might have thought that Gwen was treating her like a baby again, but this wasn't Earth, and she knew that there was no telling what could happen to her if she got lost, because there weren't any signs that she could read. She decided right then, that Gwen was just trying to keep her from getting lost. That was when she remembered Gwen's warning from yesterday morning about how some of these Predators didn't like humans. She also remembered the way Scar, Celtic, and Rave had killed the people in the pyramid. She didn't want to be killed, at least not the way these Predators could do it, and she definitely didn't want to be hurt anymore. That was why she nodded her head to let Gwen know that she understood.

As she stepped outside, Lilith could see that strange orange sun rising in a sky that was a dusky orange color. The dark green plants that were almost black in some places were all over the place. That was when Lilith spotted a tree that was growing right up next to the pyramid that Gwen lived in. She went over and sat down with her back leaned up against the tree. She listened for a while and soon heard the weird but also familiar noises made by the different bugs and birds.

It felt so good to be outside where it was nice and warm, with lots of fresh air, and no one around to bother her. She sat there watching the bright red sun rise in the dusky orange sky, a few of what looked like flying lizards go by in the air, and even a weird looking butterfly that she would have sworn was some kind of cross between a bug and a bat. She was half asleep when an angry voice caught her attention.

"I said… what are you doing here ooman, and where are you supposed to be?"

Kujhade-de K'var-de (Destroying Hunter) stormed over to the ooman as he spoke. He hated oomans, and felt that they shouldn't even be allowed on the planet as pets or slaves, but this one… this one was lounging about as if it had every right to be here, and the very thought made him burn with rage.

Lilith heard the question that was growled at her. In fact it was the angry sound that had gotten her attention. Then she realized what the Predator had asked and she pointed at the ground to show that she was right where she was supposed to be. Apparently that wasn't good enough to satisfy the Predator because he was still coming at her and she could tell that he was pissed about something. She stood up to get ready to run or dodge, but she never got the chance.

When the ooman merely pointed at the ground instead of answering his question, before standing up, Kujhade-de K'var-de got even angrier. He moved with all the speed his race was capable of and grabbed the ooman by the throat. As he lifted the ooman off the ground to bring the pathetic creature to eye level, it emitted a loud and piercing two tone whistle almost like a bird. He ignored that sound which he figured was nothing more than panic, because he could smell the stink of fear on the miserable thing.

Suddenly, Kujhade heard the hiss of a door opening, which was immediately covered by the very loud and deadly growl of an enraged Yaut Hound. Both of the ooman's hands were wrapped around his wrist in an effort to support the ooman's body weight. That grip made no difference to him as he flung the ooman aside to deal with the angry beast that was charging at him. As the Yaut Hound leapt at him, he used his hands to hurl the beast over his head while he dropped to the ground.

Immediately rolling to his feet, Kujhade once again faced the snarling and now stalking Yaut Hound. That was when he heard the door a second time, only this time four females, and one male Yautja came running out. As soon as they saw him, they looked over at the ooman sprawled on the ground holding its neck and whimpering in pain. He barked out a single laugh, before he realized the severity of the growls that were coming from one of the females.

Kujhade-de K'var-de knew that sound. He knew that even as adrenaline flooded the muscles of the body, almost all of the strength was taken from the vocal cords so that it could be used by other muscles. Those very relaxed vocal cords were what caused that very distinctive low pitched growl that heralded the condition known as 'Bearer's Rage'! Knowing that they would probably be too late, he quickly reached to his left forearm and summoned an Arbitrator to his location.

Setg'in watched his mother carefully. He knew very well what that growl meant, and he was sure that if anyone went near Lilith, that they would be torn apart without hesitation or mercy. He hoped that the Arbitrators that he'd summoned as soon as he saw what was going on would arrive soon. Right now, the only thing he could be thankful for was that Lilith was still alive, and being protected by Bakuub who was standing just in front of her and snarling.

Suddenly, a loud blaring and strange noise thoroughly surprised everyone. It was so unexpected that it shocked Guan right out of the rage she felt. Not that it mattered to her, because she could see at a glance that Lilith was injured, and that sight made her anger begin to rise once more even as she looked over to see the cause of the strange sound.

Guan was very surprised to see a pair of Arbitrators watching her warily. Instantly, she looked over at the male who had invaded her grounds and injured the pup she had accepted into her home, and saw his relief at the sight. That was when Guan decided to press the one advantage she had.

"As the owner of these grounds and this home, I demand an immediate hearing before the Tribunal." Guan growled as her anger began to return.

"I too demand a hearing before the Tribunal!" Kujhade declared loudly.

"I am U'sl-kwe, (Death) and all of you will be escorted to stand before a Tribunal of Elite Arbitrators. The Yaut Hound is to be secured where it can cause no harm or disruption." One of the Arbitrators said sternly.

Setg'in called Bakuub to him, and she was not too pleased at leaving Lilith, but Guan barked a command and she followed him into the home where she was locked inside. He turned around just in time see the unknown male demand that Lilith remain untreated until after the hearing.

Kujhade looked around at all four of the now growling and clearly angry females, and the angry male who had burst from the home. "I will see that ooman executed for the disrespect that I was shown! That worthless creature is not to be treated, except by order of the Tribunal."

Guan heard that demand and had to struggle with the rage that threatened to consume her. As of now, this male was playing with his life, because she now intended to kill him no matter what happened, and she knew just how to see to it. "As the rightful owner of these grounds, I will kill you if she dies. Regardless of any decision by the Tribunal!"

Guan went over and began to carefully lift Lilith into her arms, but was prevented from doing so by one of the Arbitrators. She was not happy with what had happened, and she could only hope that Lilith had not been at fault to cause this incident.

"I know that your neck hurts Lilith, but you must bear the pain for a while longer." Guan said softly as she watched Lilith use her hands to hold her head in the position that seemed to cause the least amount of pain.

After nearly half a day of walking, during which Lilith began stumbling along in obvious pain, and breathing raggedly, the two Arbitrators finally ushered everyone into a large chamber that was filled with various statues of Paya, and Cetanu. Guan quickly looked around, but her attention was drawn to the five Elite Arbitrators who were seated behind a large desk that was raised to the point that it was more than twice her own height of nine nok. (Nok = 13 inches)

"Since I was disrespected by that disgusting creature before the females arrived, I wish to be heard first." Kujhade declared loudly.

Guan looked over at the male and narrowed her eyes at him while her mind raced in thought. Then a smile of deadly intent crossed her face as she spoke without taking her eyes off the male. "Let him speak then. After that… I will state my claims against him!"

Kujhade-de K'var-de actually smiled in true delight. He was certain that it would only take a single question to effect the ooman's execution. "I demand for the ooman to provide the justification for refusing to give answer when I questioned it."

The Arbitrator in the center of the five seated in the position of Judgment looked at the ooman now standing alone and holding its neck with both hands. "Well? What was your reason for not speaking to an Honored Ancient when he questioned you?" He demanded in English.

Lilith heard the question, and she knew that she was in serious trouble. She was sure that this was some kind of Predator court room, and that these were Judges. She tried to shake her head, but that sharp stabbing agony shot through her neck and almost knocked her to her knees.

"You will answer the question ooman!" The most senior of the Elite Arbitrators said in warning.

Guan wanted so desperately to tell the Tribunal that Lilith would not speak unless drugged or asleep, but she knew that speaking without the express instruction from one of the members of the Tribunal wasn't allowed unless she were questioned, or it was her turn to state her claim against the male.

The Tribunal waited in silence for a long while. Then, when it became obvious that the ooman was not going to say anything, one of the Arbitrators turned and looked to one of the other Arbitrators scattered about the Hall of Judgment. "Take the ooman for cerebral scanning. It is to be questioned about its refusal to speak."

"Honored Arbitrators! I must insist that only female Arbitrators be present to conduct the scan. There are valid medical reasons for that stipulation, I also will accompany the ooman whose name is Lilith, since she lives in my home." Guan blurted out.

"Normally… one would be censured for speaking out of turn. However, since you say that there is a medical reason for your outburst, it will be temporarily forgiven… this time!" One of the Elite Arbitrators declared sternly.

Guan watched as a female Arbitrator stepped forward, and placed a hand on Lilith's shoulder to guide her in the direction they were to go.

Da'dtou-de (Little Knife) could see from the way the ooman was holding her neck that she was injured, and the strong smell of stress being emitted by the ooman was overwhelming, and from that alone, she knew the creature was in very severe pain. She guided the much smaller creature who was barely half her height to another room. She told the ooman to sit in a specific chair along one wall, and was surprised that the creature complied. She secured the ankles of the ooman, and then as gently as possible forced the hands down so that they could be secured as well.

Lilith's neck and head were hurting so much that she didn't even realize that she was being tied to a chair until after it was already done. She started breathing heavier even as her tears began to fall faster. She knew that they were now going to make her suffer far more than her parents ever had.

The heavy breathing surprised Da'dtou-de, and she glanced up at the ooman's face to see that tears were now flowing freely. There was a strong scent of stress, but also an overwhelming scent of fear. Her eyes narrowed as she realized that other than the sounds of the ooman's breath, there was no noise coming from the creature. She nodded her head in silent approval at the tolerance of pain, before lowering the dome that would scan the neural network of the subject and show the memories as a holographic projection that was visible to Yautja eyesight. She activated the device and stepped back to allow it to begin the designed function. When the device was ready, she began her questions.

Guan watched apprehensively as Lilith was locked in the cerebral scanner. She knew that there was no way to lie while subjected to the device, because instead of a verbal answer, the machine read the actual memories of the one being questioned. She knew that she would now learn why Lilith didn't speak to them. She quickly put her mask on so that she could clearly see what transpired.

"Why did you not speak when you were addressed by the Ancient?" Da'dtou-de asked when the machine was ready. Instantly, the holographic display sprang forth with an image accompanied by sound, along with a readout of both Lilith's physical and emotional sensations. The display would indicate where any injuries were, what type of pain was incurred by that injury as well as the intensity of that pain. It was as complete as possible without knowing the actual thoughts of the one being questioned. The interesting thing about the display was that the image varied the heat of the projection so that every color that Lilith had seen was displayed so that the Yautja also saw it in those exact same colors.

Guan watched the display from Lilith's point of view as an image of several other ooman pups seated on a strange looking fur were being addressed by an adult ooman who was clearly more than twice the height of the pups. "Never talk to strangers! Teachers, police officers, firemen, and ambulance drivers are allowed, but other than that… you must never talk to someone that you don't know! Talking to other kids is fine, but don't ever talk to an adult that you don't know unless your parents are with you."

Suddenly the scene switched to something that made Guan's blood run cold even as her anger rose.

A belt came flying at her, hard and fast as it smashed into her face sending her falling into the door. "Look at this. Look! You cost us $484,286.92. Do you have any idea how much money we could have saved if you weren't born? Do you?" The paper flew in and out of her face. Tears slid from her eyes. Her father had never once hit her or even yelled at her before.

"I'm sorry." Her voice was barely above a whisper. Her father's face had turned into something unimaginable as it was twisted by the hate that she could now see there. His voice held more venom than a rattlesnake's fangs.

"Sorry, you're sorry. Sorry doesn't pay the bills; sorry doesn't put food in my mouth; sorry is a worthless excuse of what you are! A worthless mistake!" His words hit her even harder than his belt.

With a scowl on his face he grabbed a fist full of her hair and dragged her down the hall into the kitchen, opened the basement door and threw her in. She hit every stair going down. It was a wonder no bones were broken. She sobbed as she stared up at her father with a mix of confusion and pain.

"You will stay down there where all worthless, bad, selfish, bastard mistake kids go for the rest of their lives… including yours!" Her father yelled at her before he slammed the door shut leaving her alone in the dark.

She had never realized how cold it was down here and her skirt and tank top did little to help her against it. She scuttled over to the water heater to absorb the slight warmth it was giving off. She was down there for a two whole days with no food and no water, then on the third day the door opened. It was her mother, and she wanted to run into her arms and absorb all the comfort she had to give.

Her mother approached her with a smile playing on her lips. Lilith stood.

"Strip!"

The command confused her.

"I said strip!" Her mother's right hand made solid contact with the soft flesh of her left cheek. Not wanting to give her mother any more reason to be angry than she had, she quickly did as she was told, before turning to face her mother while standing there fully naked.

Her mother threw her against the wall and began removing her belt. Lilith looked back with pure terror in her eyes. She ran. She ran up the basement stairs and into the house only to be caught by her father and dragged back down with her kicking and screaming.

"Shut up!" She didn't. She couldn't! She somehow knew what was about to happen, and it terrified her more than anything she'd ever experienced.

"Shut up!" Her father screamed as he slammed her head into the wall dazing her. She didn't even notice that she was down the stairs again being held by two strong hands holding her up right, but she did notice the searing burn in her back. She screamed.

"Oh dear, do you think we should gag her." Her mom sounded positively thrilled. She couldn't comprehend anything. Not even when a small red ball was forced in her mouth and tied in the back of her head.

"That should keep you quiet."

The agonizing burning sensation was back and now she knew what it was; the belt.

"You have cost us a grand total of $484,286.92! You're going to get the same amount… plus double!" He father yelled in rage as he kept swinging the belt with every bit of strength he had. The pain was too much. Her skin felt raw after the twentieth hit, by the fiftieth she had passed out.

Guan saw what had happened from the perspective of Lilith's own eyes. The readouts along the side showed not only the immense amount of pain that the pup had felt, but also the incredible fear caused by her own parents! It was the kind of thing that stunned her speechless. Just when she thought that it couldn't be any worse, the scene changed again.

She was being held down tightly by a rope. Her arms, legs, torso, and neck were unable to move. Any attempt at movement brought pain. The ropes tore at her skin when she tried to move. What was going to happen to her now? The basement door opened with a bang sending chills down her spine.

"Mommy, Daddy?" Her voice was raw from her screaming. Recently they had thrown both of her arms on revolving blades that had cut deeply into her hands and part of her forearms. The flesh had hung apart showing the bone, blood vessels, tendons, and muscles. Her parents had reluctantly rushed her to the hospital and told the paramedics that she was playing in the workshop when this happened. They did immediate surgery saving both of her arms, and they healed miraculously, not even a scar formed.

She had tried to tell the doctors and surgeons what had really happened, but none of them would believe her. They thought it was the drugs making her hallucinate. After her release this is where she wound up, on her old bed tied down.

"You rotten little bitch! You tried to get us in trouble!" Her mother's eyes were filled withabsolute rage. "You see how well that worked, now don't you? You know you deserve every last bit of this." She stood up straight, putting on one of the smuggest smiles Lilith had ever seen. "Well, we'll fix that won't we dear?" Her father side stepped around the woman, holding in his hands a brand new roll of duct tape. "Indeed we will."

Lilith tried to scream, she tried to beg, but her father forced her mouth closed and wrapped the tape many times from the bottom of her jaw to the top of her head and back around. Her teeth were pressed tightly together and held that way by the thick layers of tape that she couldn't move. Now terrified of what else they might do, she tried to beg once more, but her pleas might well have been made to a brick wall, as her father began putting the tape over her mouth and taking it around the back of her head.

She had no idea how long they had left the tape on her like that, but the pain that she felt when they finally tore it off was unreal. Lilith screamed as she felt her hair being torn roughly from her scalp by the sticky tape. She cried and wanted to beg for them to stop, but they didn't. Her mother kept ripping the tape off, and laughed whenever bloody hair came off with it.

Guan stared at the holographic display in mute horror. Every single one of Lilith's begging pleas had been ignored by her own parents as they had laughingly tormented her.

Her arms had long ago gone numb from being suspended above her head. Her wrists were chafed beneath the straps and the cuts that the hospital had sewn up had even bled, so that dried blood ran down her arms. The welts and cuts on her body were still raw and some of them still bled a bit. She hung her head, and looked down at the cold cement beneath her bare feet that was stained and splattered with her own blood.

The door to the basement slammed open and her mother came storming down the stairs into the basement.

"Well now, you little bitch! Your father thinks that duct tape might have finally shut your worthless ass up! Now since he's at work trying to pay for all the fucking bills that your worthless ass keeps racking up, I'm going to find out if it really did work!" Her mother said in a snarl.

Lilith whimpered in fresh fear. All she wanted was for the hurting to stop. Suddenly, she was screaming at the top of her lungs as her mother threw lemon juice on the still open cuts! The cruel smile on her mother's face was something that she knew would give her nightmares as the woman almost laughed while pouring some of the lemon juice into her hand. "Talk now, you worthless bitch, because every time you open your mouth, you prove just how fucking worthless you really are!" Her mother sneered before deliberately rubbing the numerous cuts and wounds on her body with the hand full of lemon juice!

Guan could read the translations that were provided by the machine, so she knew what had been rubbed into Lilith's wounds, but she had no idea what 'lemon juice' was or what it was used for. Suddenly her attention was drawn to a horrified whisper from the Arbitrator.

"What all did they do to you?"

At that point, Guan's mouth fell open in sheer disbelief as the hologram displayed one atrocious scene after another. She watched in mute horrified rage as Lilith was forced to slice her own arms open with the blade given to her by her father. She felt her blood boil during the repeated and almost constant daily beatings that grew ever more than brutal in their nature, and only became more violent as time progressed. Unable to speak, she wanted nothing more than for this nightmare of a horror show to end, but it quickly became clear that it wouldn't. One horrific memory after another, every one of them full of more dishonor than a hundred Bad Bloods would display. It made her feel physically ill to watch, but at the same time she couldn't look away, because it was simply too horrific.

Somehow in the midst of all the horror she saw, Guan knew that this ooman pup who had become a part of her life deserved something much better than what she had received from her own parents. Honor, compassion, and even love had not been a part of Lilith's life, but she became determined that that this ooman pup would learn what it was like to receive such things.

"How in Paya's name did you manage to escape?" Da'dtou-de asked in sheer disbelieving wonder that this ooman was even alive after what she had just seen.

Her parents were stumbling as they came down the stairs. Lilith shrank back away from them in absolute fear. They had just left a while ago, so why had they come back? What would they make her do now? They were both drunk this time. That was a very bad sign, but maybe she would get lucky and they would kill her this time.

"Time for you to have a cigarette, you worthless bitch!" Her mother told her as she stuck her right hand down her own shorts and started doing something between her legs.

Lilith did exactly as she was told. She knew that she wasn't allowed to make any sounds, or even cry while she was burning or cutting herself, or she'd get a horrible beating from both of her parents. The sickly stench of burning flesh assailed her nostrils as she held the lit cigarette against her right leg. Strangely, this was one smell she could never get used to. Flakes of dried blood fell from her shaking wrist as she struggled to keep tears from her eyes, so she wouldn't get hit anymore.

"Just fucking worthless! Hell, I bet she'd even be a worthless fuck!" Her mother snarled drunkenly.

"You know… I think it's time we found out, don't you honey?" Her mother smirked suddenly, before lunging forward and grabbing her wrists.

She couldn't help but cry out in pain as her mother opened more than a dozen of the cuts on each of her wrists. That was when she realized that she'd been so focused on her mother that she'd completely forgotten to keep an eye on her father. She turned her head back to face him and saw that he'd taken off all of his clothes. He grabbed her legs forcing them apart, and brutally shoved that engorged thing between his legs into her. So intense was the pain of the dry insertion that she couldn't even scream. It felt like she was being ripped in two from the inside out. Her mother was behind her, holding her in place with a knee in her back while hanging onto her now bleeding wrists from the reopened wounds. Then finally, a scream left her mouth as tears of agony fell down her face as her father began pulling himself out of her. That was when she thought that whatever was being done to her was over, but she was wrong.

Her father had continued hurting her inside for a long time. Then he grunted and pulled that painful thing out of her, and even through her sobbing tears of agony, she couldn't help but notice that her blood was all over it. Her father then laughed and said that he wasn't even close to being done! "You stupid, worthless bitch! This is for crying and screaming."He had pinned her legs with his and maneuvered his body so that he could stick that throbbing and twitching thing inside her again. But this time he stuck it in a different place.

Lilith screamed until her throat was raw and sore, with no thought given to the penalty for screaming. Her father didn't stop his brutally agonizing method of anally raping her still developing body, and her mother wouldn't quit laughing. Then her whole world exploded in fresh pain from another source as her father began using his free hands to pound on her sides and stomach with his fists.

When it was over, Lilith cowered as close to the water heater as she could. She was so cold, and she was hurting both inside and out after what her parents had done to her this time. She had no idea how long she had huddled there, but she looked up towards the still slightly cracked open door of the basement as her parents began to argue.

"That worthless bitch is a waste of money even when she's tied up in the basement!" Her father's voice yelled angrily.

"Well at least you got a couple of fucks out of that damned mistake!" Her mother's voice yelled back just as angry.

"The only good thing about that fuck was popping that little bitch's cherry before she could accidentally get knocked up like you did, and that was the biggest mistake you ever made… otherwise she's just as worthless a fuck as you are!" Her father's voice yelled even louder.

"You take that back you fucking sorry ass bastard or I'm calling the cops. They'll take her, and they'll throw us both in jail over that worthless mistake… what do you think about that, you sorry piece of shit?"

Lilith heard the sounds of them stomping and running through the house upstairs. Then she heard a scream and a very loud bang followed by a weird sounding thump.

"I'll be damned if I go to jail you sorry cunt. Now that you're dead, I'll make sure that worthless bitch rots down there!"

That was when Lilith heard two more loud bangs followed by a couple more weird thumps. She sat there near the water heater for a long time, and all the while she listened carefully. Finally, after hearing no noise or sounds, she began to suspect that her parents had left. The only difference was, this time; the basement door was left cracked open.

Lilith knew that she couldn't unbuckle the collar, because they had somehow put a small padlock on it, but it was some kind of cloth, that meant she might be able to cut it open. That was what she did.

Once she was free of the chain, Lilith crept up the stairs to the basement, and looked out into the kitchen. There… on the floor, in a pool of drying blood was her mother who was dead. She knew the woman was dead, because some of her brains were on the floor, and some were splattered on the wall over the sink.

At first, Lilith was filled with fear of what the woman might do to her, but then she realized that her mother couldn't do anything to her anymore, because she was dead. Creeping silently out of the kitchen, she saw a dog that was also dead, and then she saw her father's foot in the hallway by the kitchen. Easing into the hallway she saw her father laying part way in the living room, and he was dead too.

Relief flooded through Lilith as she headed upstairs to her old room, but when she got there, none of her things were present. All of her things were gone. The bed, her dresser, her nightstand, the nightlight to keep her from being afraid of the dark, and when she opened the closet, she saw that there wasn't anything of hers in there either. Everything… the whole room had been turned into a room for the dog that she'd never seen before… the dog her father had killed right before he shot himself. In disbelief that everything she'd once had was now gone, she turned and went to the spare bedroom. Inside there was a computer on a desk with a lot of boxes full of papers scattered around. Not even the closet had anything that had been hers.

Knowing that all of her things were now gone like she had never lived there at all, Lilith went down to the kitchen to find something to eat. In the cabinets were an uncooked box of rice, and one lonely bag of pinto beans. She didn't know how to cook, so she couldn't eat that. She opened the refrigerator to see what was in there. Two cases of Budweiser, a bottle of Crown Royal, and two twelve packs of Bud Light were all that she could see until she looked in the drawer for cheeses and lunchmeat. One half eaten pack of bologna was all there was. She quickly snatched that out and was already eating it, before opening the freezer where she found a large bag of chicken legs. With nothing to drink, she grabbed a cup of water from the sink.

Lilith started to put the cup in the sink, but then she realized that with her parents dead, they couldn't beat her for not doing it, and she defiantly put the dirty cup on the counter. That was when she noticed how dirty her hands were. A look at the rest of her body showed her that she was covered in a dark grey film of dirt and grime, with a mix of fresh and dried blood almost everywhere. In the darkness of the basement, she hadn't been able to see how filthy she was, but now she could, and she didn't like it at all.

Lilith would have run up the stairs to the bathroom, but she hurt too much to run right then. Once in the bathroom, she opened a cabinet to get a towel, and saw her mothers hygiene articles; pads, tampons, cotton balls, and cotton swabs, but her gaze stopped on the box of black hair dye. She snatched that and a couple of towels. The box of dye was dropped in the bathroom sink, while she dropped the towels on the closed toilet. She turned on the shower and it took a few minutes for the water to get hot, but when it did, Lilith got in and savored the first shower she'd taken since she was locked away in the basement.

Lilith had to spend a long time gingerly scrubbing the dirt and blood off her body and she'd had to wash her hair four times before it stopped feeling greasy. Once she finally felt like she was clean, she tried to relax under the spray of the shower. After four long and miserable years of being cold all the time, she reveled in the feeling of being warm and wished that it would never end.

It was a long time before Lilith noticed a drop in the temperature of the water. She hadn't tried to take a shower that most people would consider hot, because she wasn't sure if she still had the tolerance for that kind of heat, besides, the length of time that she had spent under the hot spray had done wonders for her bruised and battered body and muscles. She got out and dried off before looking in the mirror.

The sight of long brown hair that reached the middle of her back wasn't at all pleasing to her, so she went back into her parent's bedroom and found a pair of scissors in her mother's dresser. She cut all of her hair back to shoulder length, and then dyed it black. After she was finished, she went into her parent's room one last time.

Lilith searched the room for nearly an hour, closet, both dressers, and even the tables by the bed, and so far there were no underwear that would fit her. A pair of her mother's hiking boots that she had to use three pair of sock to make fit right, a pair of her mother's black jeans that were too long, and too big in the waist, along with a t-shirt that was also a little big. At least she'd found a belt to use for the pants. Then she grabbed a jacket off the bed, and went down into the basement for the last time. Quickly grabbing her cigarettes, lighter, and pocket knife, she turned and fled from the house.

Guan was truly appalled at what she'd seen. The schematic of Lilith's body had clearly shown every each spot where a sensation was felt, along with the intensity of that sensation. Cold, pain, and hunger… those had been her only physical sensations while in that chamber of horror. Then there were the emotions that were also indicated, anger, depression, hatred, but most of all, there was fear and terror. The knowledge that those who had wreaked such torment upon a helpless pup were dead did nothing to sooth her careening thoughts. Now she knew, not only why Lilith refused to speak, but also the other reasons for the pup's behavior. The attempt to meet the Dark Hunter had not been to reclaim any lost honor… it had been an attempt to put an end to any more torture!

Suddenly, a strange suspicion entered Guan's mind. She knew from the medical exam that Than Guan had conducted on that first day, that all of Lilith's injuries were fairly fresh, no more than a few days old. So how had the pup gotten from an inhabited area, to the barren waste of the Chiva? Knowing that a lie was impossible, she just had to ask.

"Lilith, how did you manage to end up in the Chiva structure with my sons?" Guan asked quietly.

As she left the house that she'd once called home, Lilith ran. She ran as far and fast as she could before exhaustion overcame her. She knew that she hadn't gotten very far, but even though she was tired, she determinedly put one foot in front of the other to get as far from her parents as possible. She had no idea how long she'd been walking, but it felt like forever… that was when she saw it.

It was an old insane asylum. Figuring that no one would bother her in there, since the place looked abandoned, Lilith searched for an open door so she could get out of the wind and snow. She'd tried lots of doors before finding one that wasn't locked, and closing it behind her shut out the wind. It was still cold, but at least the wind wasn't cutting through her clothes like a knife through her skin. She sat down against a wall to rest, and she couldn't stop her eyes from sliding shut. The next thing Lilith knew, there was a bright light shining right in her eyes. She raised her right hand to block it out and tried to see what was causing it.

"You can either get up and come with me, or you can go to jail. Your choice." A man's voice told her.

Lilith followed the man to a big black limousine that made her jaw drop. She knew that they were owned by rich people, and that they were very expensive, but that was all she knew about them. The man opened the back door, and told her to get in. Lilith thought about trying to run, but the blast of very pleasant heat coming out of the car convinced her otherwise. She was tired and freezing, and it was obviously warm in the car. With not much of a choice, she got in. Inside was an old man who looked at her sharply before nodding his head.

"My name's Bruce Weyland, and I own the facility that you snuck into. You're clearly a runaway, because your clothes are certainly not suited to the weather, and they don't even fit properly. So where are your parents?" The man asked while watching her carefully.

Lilith just shook her head.

"Are your parents still alive?"

A slow shake of her head provided her answer.

The man looked at her strangely while seeming to judge her for a long time before he spoke again.

"I'm not going to bore you with all the details of why I'm offering this, but I'm giving you a choice… you can either stay with me… or you can let the police decide what to do with you… jail, foster home… whatever. Which is it going to be?"

Lilith sure didn't want to go to jail. She didn't know anything about it, except that it was a very bad place for very bad people. She pointed at Weyland, and wondered if he was going to send her to jail anyway.

"Can you talk?" Weyland asked irritably.

Lilith shook her head in answer.

"But you can hear just fine?"

Lilith nodded her head.

"Well, since I don't know sign language, I'm hoping that you know how to read and write, because otherwise, I'm not going to be very happy talking to myself." The man said almost sourly.

Lilith nodded her head, because she didn't want to make this man mad at her, she knew that would happen later, and she wanted to put it off as much as she could.

"Well that's something at least." He said in a slightly better tone as he handed her a pen and a note pad from the business supplies carried in the car. "What's your name?"

Lilith wrote her name on the pad and gave it to the man. Then, she glanced over at the black guy who had gotten into the back with them. She knew that someone else was doing the driving, but she couldn't see what he looked like.

"Sir… may I ask again why you even have that place?" The black man asked.

"It's simple. That facility is already outfitted with steel doors that are two inches thick. The doors even have internal hinges so they can't be broken to get the door open. Reverse the frames on those doors, add a few more security systems, and I'll have a several hundred million dollar research facility that is very secure at a mere fraction of the cost. The monitoring systems have just proven how effective everything will be when it's all complete. Think about it… an insane asylum actually has much higher security than even the best built prison! People have escaped from almost every prison in the U.S., and that includes Alcatraz… but you never hear of someone escaping from an insane asylum." Mr. Weyland explained smugly.

The black man smiled at that. "And here I thought that this particular investment amounted to nothing more than a waste of money. That is a very shrewd move, Sir."

"Thank you, Max." Mr. Weyland smiled. "Now, what about the preparations for our trip to Antarctica?"

"We are heading to the airport now where we board a plane able to make a long flight, and then we will land in Argentina, where we'll transfer to the ship by helicopter. Alexa Woods and the archeologists will be joining us a couple hours later. With the sole exception of personnel, everything is ready and in place, so we will definitely be the first to explore the site." The man explained.

"Good job Max. Now is there anything that you might be concerned about?" Mr. Weyland asked with a slight smirk.

"I only have one question in mind Sir. What do you plan to do with her?" Max asked interestedly with a motion of his head.

"You and I both know what my situation is Max. Knowing that ahead of time like I do, gives me a chance to set some things right; take the opportunity to actually live for once, instead of chasing every possible last dollar like a starving bulldog after a steak. This expedition to Antarctica is going to be a fresh start… so is she." Mr. Weyland said candidly.

"So are you thinking of adoption then?" Max asked.

Mr. Weyland shook his head while reaching for a plastic mask that fit over his nose and mouth with a clear tube attached to it. Lilith watched him breathe through it a few times before he answered.

"No… money issues aside, my health wouldn't allow it to go through. But I can at least get her off the streets and make sure she's in a decent home, and I can afford to make sure she's taken care of." Mr. Weyland said with a light smile.

"Besides, it's not like this expedition is going to kill me, because I already know that you've taken care of any possible security issues… now haven't you?" Mr. Weyland smiled.

"Yes Sir, I have." Max answered honestly with a smile of his own.

The flight south was quick and uneventful, and Lilith stayed to herself, wondering how this was going to end. She was beginning to hate that bastard Weyland, and she didn't care that he was sick. She was so wound up that she didn't bother to look out the window even though she'd never been on a plane before. All she could think about was that she wanted her suffering to end. Her arms, legs, stomach, chest, and even her insides hurt more than she wanted to think about, but at the same time, she couldn't think about anything else. Her parents had called her a worthless mistake so many times that she knew it had to be true, or they wouldn't said what they did, or done what they had. That was when she realized that they were dead… if she were dead, then no one could ever hurt her again. The very idea of that was so appealing that she couldn't resist a light smile.

When they landed at the airport, they quickly got into a helicopter, and flew to a ship. Lilith was taken inside quickly. Then she was given some pants, gloves, and a coat to wear over what she had on.

"These should be about your size. It won't matter if they're a little big, as long as they aren't too small. Once we get back stateside, Mr. Weyland will see about a new wardrobe for you." Max told her as he handed her the heavy clothes.

Less than an hour later, Lilith had drank a cup of hot chocolate while that bastard Weyland coughed and hacked into that plastic mask of his. Lilith finished her drink before he got done with that mask. When he was finished, they gathered in a small room, where he told everyone what was going on. After that, they all boarded more helicopters and landed on the ice.

Spotting the large hole that had been cut into the ice, Lilith walked straight up to it.

"That's enough Lilith. You… you don't have to remember any more. I know the entrance to the cavern that holds the Temple Of Passage, after having seen it on the recordings from my sons." Guan exclaimed in relief that she wouldn't have to see this pup endure anymore foul treatment at the hands of abominations.

"The… the requirements are satisfied. This ooman has sufficient justification for not speaking. Therefore, this is over now." Da'dtou-de declared as she deactivated the cerebral scanner, and carefully un-strapped what she now knew to be an ooman pup. As an Arbitrator, she had seen more atrocities than she cared to remember, but this… this was something she wouldn't have imagined to be possible.

Lilith was still holding her neck with both hands as Guan followed her and the Arbitrator back into the Hall of Judgment. There were tears of pain in the pup's eyes, though not a single sound was being made except for some heavy breathing. She understood now, that it wasn't simply speaking that Lilith refused; it had been ingrained through severe traumatizing pain for her not to make any sounds!

"Well Arbitrator, did the ooman have justification for not speaking to the Ancient?" One of the members of the Tribunal demanded as soon as they had resumed their places.

"The… the ooman…" Da'dtou-de paused as she struggled to keep from regurgitating all over the floor. It wasn't easy though, and after a few moments looked up at the members of the Tribunal resolutely. "The ooman does have sufficient justification for not speaking to the Ancient. The ooman also has more than sufficient justification for refusing to speak to this Tribunal, or any Yautja for that matter."

"How is that possible?" One of the two female members of the Tribunal asked.

"Oomans are apparently taught from the time they are small pups not to speak to those they do not know, unless the mother or father is present and approves." Da'dtou-de explained.

"That does not explain how this ooman has justification for not addressing us!"

"In a way it does, Honored Arbitrator. Although this particular ooman still has the physical ability to speak, she has undergone various types of treatment to ensure that it will never speak again." Da'dtou-de said more firmly. "To anyone!"

All five of the Elite Arbitrators forming the Tribunal looked at each other in disbelief; before the male on the far left turned his head back to the floor and spoke.

"In that case… is there a valid medical reason for the scan to be conducted solely by a female and will justify one who spoke out of turn?" The male demanded.

Da'dtou-de instantly flared her dreadlocks in anger over what she had seen and heard, and her mandibles ground against each other before she gave her answer. "The answer to both of those questions… is yes!"

The most senior of the Elite Arbitrators nodded his head, before turning his attention to the female who had spoken out of turn. He quickly pulled up some basic information on the computer in front of him and addressed the female.

"Apparently your name is Guan Kv'var-de, and you own the home and grounds that this incident occurred on. Is that correct?" The Arbitrator asked from his position in the center.

"That is correct, Honored Arbitrator." Guan replied in a respectful tone though she actually quivered with barely restrained rage at how Lilith was being forced to unnecessarily endure the pain that was caused by this unknown male.

"State your claim then."

"I have several, Honored Arbitrators… but they may be dealt with individually." Guan said with a bare hint of the rage she felt in her tone.

"Very well. Proceed." One of the two females said after being impressed by the tone and words of respect even though the scent of the female's anger was almost filling the chamber.

"I demand to know this male's justification for addressing Lilith to begin with! Was she on the main trail or not?" Guan stated loudly.

Kujhade-de Kv'var-de directed a sneer at the much younger female before aiming a look of pure death at the ooman. "That pathetic creature was leaning again a tree near the home the female emerged from. It was not on any trail. It has no right to be on our world. Oomans are not worthy to be slaves or even pets! That is why I requested to know where it belonged."

"My second claim is to demand to know his justification for addressing one not of his clan." Guan said as she struggled to maintain control of her anger at the male who had hurt Lilith.

"Has anyone touched or come into contact with the ooman prior to reaching this chamber?" The senior Elite Arbitrator demanded of the two that had brought the group in.

"The female attempted to attend to the ooman, but I prevented that after the male insisted that it remain untreated until after this Tribunal, so no one has touched the ooman except Arbitrators." U'sl-kwe replied firmly.

"Even from here, a symbol of the Burning Mountain Clan who possesses the ooman is clearly visible, because it is obviously composed of heat metal. Your Blooding mark and your armor show that you belong to the Raging Storm Clan." The most senior of the Arbitrators composing the Tribunal growled.

That was when Kujhade paled, because he knew that there could be no justification for having addressed one not of his Clan.

Guan saw the rapid dissipation of heat in the male, and knew that she had already won, but now she wanted an even greater and undeniable victory. She flared her dreadlocks and allowed some of the rage burning through her veins to show as she ejected her wrist blades twice so that the tips nearly touched the floor.

Instantly, every Arbitrator in the Hall of Justice crouched as they prepared for combat. Those five who were members of the Tribunal reached for plasma casters that were hidden within the large desk before them so that they were ready to deal with Bad Bloods.

"My third and final claim is to demand everyone's justification for allowing a mere pup to stand here while obviously injured and listen to this!" Guan bellowed in rage.

"You will have to prove that miserable creature is still a pup! Everyone knows that ooman females experience many breeding cycles before reaching physical maturity. I demand a medical exam!" Kujhade answered with a bellow of his own.

"A complete medical exam has already been conducted!" Guan shouted before anyone could say anything.

"And just how old is this medical exam?" A pair of Tribunal members demanded at the same time. The two looked at each other angrily for a couple of heartbeats before turning their attention back to the floor.

"A complete medical exam of Lilith was performed only four days ago. The technician who performed the exam is fully qualified." Guan answered quickly.

"Very well… name the technician, and they shall be summoned so that we may hear from them the results of that exam." The center Arbitrator declared.

In answer Guan merely gestured to her right indicating one of the females standing there.

"State your name and rank for the record."

"I am Yeyinde of the Burning Mountain Clan, and I have the Honor of being Fourth Healer at Paya's Medical Center of Healing." Yeyinde said wondering why Guan had chosen her for this… until she realized exactly what it was that Guan was doing. That was when she had to suppress a smile of real appreciation at how the Tribunal was being maneuvered.

Each of the Elite Arbitrators who comprised the Tribunal turned to look at each other in disbelief. It was extremely rare that a medical opinion was needed, but to have one who was ranked as the Fourth greatest Healer in the Yautja race to give such a statement was unheard of.

"Is this Tribunal to understand that you were actually present when the ooman was examined?"

"Yes, Honored Arbitrator, but I must defer in this to one of greater skill and standing. My sister Than-guan Thwei." Yeyinde answered with a near smirk on her face.

Than-guan Thwei stepped forward to present herself and waited.

"And just what is your ranking?" One of the Elite Arbitrators demanded irritably.

"I am Than-guan Thwei of the Burning Mountain Clan, and I hold the position of Second Healer at Paya's Medical Center of Healing."

"Were you there when the ooman was examined?" The female on the far right demanded.

"I was asked to assist in the exam, but I must defer to one who possesses even greater knowledge and skill than I." She said as she pointed at her older twin sister.

Every member of the Tribunal was staring in stunned astonishment as a female stepped before them on the floor of the chamber. They knew that there was only one individual who could possibly dispute what might be stated by the previous witness, but if this female turned out to be that individual then it could never be disputed by anyone.

"I am Than Guan of the Burning Mountain Clan, and I hold the position of First Healer at Paya's Medical Center of Healing. I was assisted by both of my younger sisters when we first examined Lilith four days ago, and performed a vital surgical procedure on her three days ago. I can say with absolute certainty that Lilith is still a pup! The reason I can say that is because while ooman females are known to experience as many as eighty breeding cycles before they are physically mature, Lilith has not yet even experienced her first breeding cycle!" Than Guan said loudly with the last almost a growl of anger.

"Kill him!"

Lilith watched Gwen smile broadly as she moved towards the Predator who'd grabbed her by the neck and realized that Gwen was going to do exactly what that Predator Judge had said. She tried to shake her head but it hurt too much to move. She knew that if someone got killed because of a worthless mistake like her, that she would be made to suffer like nothing else.

"Nooo!"

Guan spun at the sound of that scream. From the tone and pitch she knew that it was no Yautja who had made that loud and anguished plea. The language of the word alone told her that it came from none other than Lilith. She quickly flexed her right arm and retracted her wrist-blades, as she approached Lilith and crouched down in front of the now crying pup.

"Lilith… if for some strange reason… you wish to spare his life you must accept an apology from him, and he has not even bothered to offer you one…" Guan began as gently as she could manage; certain that Lilith had been mentally and spiritually decimated by having been forced to actually relive rather than just remember the horror of her life before being found by her sons.

"I apologize for my actions earlier. It was not my intent to cause harm to a pup, and had I known that you are still a pup, I would not have disturbed you." Kujhade growled out quickly after hitting his knees.

Guan turned her head to the male and snarled in anger, before composing herself and looking back to the pup who was in front of her. "Lilith… do you accept his apology?"

In spite of the pain that nearly made her black out, Lilith nodded her head without even a whimper of agony.

Guan stood up and turned to face the male who had been so arrogant earlier. "She might be willing to accept your apology, but she lives in my house and as the adult who is responsible for her… I do not!" She told him firmly before looking up at the five members of the Tribunal. "I will leave him in your hands; I have an injured pup who must be cared for!"

"She may be treated in that room. Any equipment which might be needed is already there. First Healer… this Tribunal must respectfully ask for you to treat an ooman pup in order to ensure a full and proper recovery." The senior Elite Arbitrator said while pointing at the same room that held the cerebral scanner.

"She lives in the home of my Hunt Sister, and the ooman pup named Lilith is an Honored member of that house; even if I were not already here, I would insist on treating her injuries with the assistance of my sisters." Than Guan answered before following Guan and her two sisters to the room so Lilith could be tended to.

A few moments after the four females entered the room with the ooman pup, Da'dtou-de entered followed by the five Arbitrators who had comprised the Tribunal. What she saw was that two of the Healers were holding the ooman. One stood behind her holding her head immobile, while the other was holding the shoulders, and the third Healer was administering an injection.

"I need you to remain still for just a bit longer Lilith. Give the serum time to work." The Healer who had identified herself as Than Guan said.

"How is she?" Da'dtou-de asked quietly, noting that Lilith made no sound, but that she had tears streaming down her face. It was something that truly impressed the Arbitrator, because she knew from experience that the healing serum was absolutely excruciating.

Guan spun to face the Arbitrator, and immediately saw that others had followed her in. "Lilith is lucky to be alive after what that male did to her. Every muscle, ligament, and tendon in her neck has been severely strained from trying to support the weight of her entire body when he lifted her by the throat. When he threw her away from him, two of the vertebras in her neck were fractured. She is alive only because those vertebras somehow weren't displaced by either the throw or the impact when she hit the ground!"

Six Arbitrators watched in silence as Lilith was slowly lowered into a prone position with two of the Healers being very careful not to allow even the slightest movement in her neck. Then, they saw Than Guan coat the shaft of the injector with pain blocker, and place some on the site of the intended injection, and allowed a moment before administering the injection.

"Lilith, I do not want you to even try moving your head or neck until I tell you that you can. You may slightly lift your right hand to signal 'yes' and your left hand to signal 'no', do you understand me? I don't want you paralyzed for the rest of your life!" Than Guan instructed the pup firmly, before glancing at her two sisters. "Do not let her move her neck or head! The healing serum needs time to deal with her injuries. If either vertebra is displaced or her neck is out of line when everything heals, she'll be that way permanently, and I don't think any of us want that to happen."

"Will she be returned to full health?" Da'dtou-de asked seriously.

"Physically… yes. My sisters and I will make certain of that; although there will still be some procedures that need to be done. Her mind and spirit are other matters entirely." Yeyinde replied sourly.

"I take that to mean that she's been seriously injured before now?" One of the two female Arbitrators asked suspiciously.

"Don't… don't remind me! I can most sincerely wish that someone would construct a device to remove memories so that I can forget what I witnessed in hers!" Da'dtou-de said as she tried to control a rebellious stomach that had once again started acting up.

"You… you are becoming physically ill from this… was it that bad?" The senior Arbitrator asked in disbelief.

"Yes… it was! I went through the same training that you did, and I will tell you now, that this pup has endured the kinds of things that no Yautja has ever done to another." Da'dtou-de growled defensively. "Until this day, I believed that nothing a Bad Blood could do would affect me… but after seeing her memories…"

Da'dtou-de shuddered in both disgust and horror at what she'd witnessed from the memories of a mere pup. Even as she did she couldn't help but notice that the other Arbitrators were not pleased to see her reaction. She didn't care what they might think, because she knew that what she had been witness to, was an atrocity that should never be mentioned, and most certainly should never have been experienced by a mere pup.

As soon as she finished treating Lilith's neck injury, Than Guan turned to the half dozen Arbitrators who were watching. "As soon as she is able to be safely moved, she will be taken back to her home. As it is, she should never have been made to come here without treatment."

"Relax Than, when we reach my home, Lilith will not be doing anything strenuous. I will not allow her to play as she did yesterday. I will be home for the rest of this day, so I will be able to properly supervise her." Guan said reassuringly.

Than-guan nodded her head and turned to prepare a bit of sleeping draught. She poured some in a cup and measured it. There was barely a swallow there, so it should be just enough to make Lilith lethargic, and possibly put her into a light sleep for a short time.

"Here Lilith, I want you to drink this. It's only a fraction of what you drank a few days ago, and it might make you sleep, but that won't last very long. You'll be fine by the time for us to eat the evening meal." Than Guan instructed.

Lilith did as she was told, while Thing-two and Thingy held her up so she could drink the stuff. There was only two swallows there, but it still tasted as good as she remembered, even though it wasn't quite like her pink lemonade. The stuff took effect pretty quickly and Lilith could feel her limbs getting heavy. She wasn't sure how long she lay there, but it felt like forever before she finally drifted off to a light sleep.

Yeyinde was watching Guan carefully. She could tell from her Hunt Sister's scent that whatever she had seen in Lilith's memories had severely disturbed her. There was grief written in her expression, all over her body, and even in her very posture, while her scent contained an incredibly high degree of stress.

Lilith opened her eyes with a start. She was breathing heavily after dreaming that her parents had just opened the door to the basement and was on their way down. As soon as she opened her eyes though, she saw Gwen's face looking down at her. Although she had never actually seen the expression before, she knew what it was that she saw on Gwen's face… worry. She looked at the Predator for a moment before swallowing hard to try to clear the lump of terror from her throat.

Guan looked down at Lilith and couldn't help but smell the fear from the ooman pup. Now she knew why Lilith had been often been afraid of them at times, and she was able to understand why the little one refused to speak. Lilith's parents had been true abominations of the worst possible kind. The term 'Bad-blood' was far too mild to describe what they had been.

"Come, Lilith. I will take you home now. You may not like being carried, but that is exactly what I'm going to do. You should not have been forced to walk the entire distance here, and you certainly should never have been made to make that walk while injured. Just relax and rest now." Guan said softly as she lifted Lilith into her arms and placed the ooman pup on her left hip.

As Guan prepared to leave the Hall of Justice she was stopped by the members of the Tribunal.

"Ooman Lilith, I ask you to accept our apology for being made to stand and face us while injured in so grievous a fashion. It was not our intent to allow a pup, such as yourself, to continue suffering when that should have been alleviated and tended to immediately. Our only justification is that we were completely unaware of your actual age until the end. We will ensure that full and proper justice is served." One of the Judges said sincerely.

"Lilith… do you accept their apology?" Guan asked softly. She intended to add some information, but Lilith nodded her head almost immediately. Guan nodded back to Lilith, before she faced the waiting Arbitrators.

"Lilith has signaled her acceptance of your apology, and there will be no retribution for this. I can readily say that Justice has been delivered this day, but there is yet more to be disbursed once I reach my home, but that is a matter that I will personally attend to. It is the concern of myself and Lilith, but you may rest knowing that justice will be properly served at the end of this day." Guan said before leaving the room.

Guan could easily smell the high amounts of both stress and fear that Lilith was feeling as she carried the little pup home. It grieved her to know that a mere pup had been treated in such a way. She was certain that it had only been an act of the Gods that Lilith had survived such foul and dishonorable treatment. She walked at a brisk pace, because she wanted to get Lilith taken care of as soon as possible. She knew that the midday meal had long passed, and as thin as Lilith was, she was not about to allow the little pup to go hungry until after the evening meal had passed as well.

Lilith was very tired, but every time she closed her eyes, she saw another memory of the living nightmare that she truly wanted to forget. Whatever that machine was, it didn't just make her remember what had happened to her in the basement… it had made her relive everything! The never ending pain, the constant hunger, and thirst, the feeling of always being so cold. She'd had to relive the despair, terror, and eventual hatred that she'd come to feel for her parents. She wanted to do nothing more than sleep so badly, but she couldn't because of what she saw when she tried to close her eyes and rest. She was actually glad that Gwen was carrying her, because she knew that she couldn't walk very well right then, and she certainly couldn't keep up with these Predators as fast as they were walking… she'd have to run just to keep them in sight!

Then there was the problem that Lilith kept thinking about. She couldn't help but wonder if Gwen was only carrying her to make sure that she didn't try to escape or run, because she knew that Gwen had seen everything. The Predator knew exactly what her mother and father had repeatedly said and then proved… that she was a worthless mistake! Lilith wasn't sure why Gwen had let the others do something about the pain in her neck, because she was absolutely sure that Gwen was going to make her suffer now that the Predator knew what a worthless mistake she was.

As Guan entered her home, she was immediately accosted by Bakuub who was sniffing and licking the little female in her arms intently. She allowed the greeting for a moment before she stepped over to a large well padded chair and placed Lilith in it.

"Lilith I want you to sit there. Do not try to get up and walk around. You have been through more than enough today, and that was after being injured. Bakuub can stay with you, and judging by her welcome, I'm sure she plans on doing exactly that. I'll go and prepare the evening meal." Guan said with a gentle purr.

Lilith nodded her head tiredly before she remembered how much it would hurt to do that. Suddenly her hands were feeling around her neck, because she didn't feel any pain there at all. That was when she looked up at Gwen in confusion.

"Is your neck causing you pain Lilith?" Than-guan-thwei asked quickly when she saw the little ooman grab her neck.

When the ooman pup shook her head slowly, Than-guan-thwei nodded in approval. "Good! I want you to let me know if it does… and you will do so as soon as you begin to experience any pain from your neck."

"We'll stay here this night to ensure that Lilith has proper treatment close at hand in case it is needed." Yeyinde told Guan.

"Thank you. I was going to ask if you would be willing." Guan replied in relief.

"You've accepted Lilith into your home Guan, doing anything less would not properly honor the bond we share. We are Hunt Sisters, and there are now many who do not properly honor the bond that is created when Warriors Chiva together, but your Bearer (Mother) has taught us better than that. You do not have to ask, Hunt Sister!" Than-guan replied firmly.

"I'll prepare the evening meal while you see to Lilith. I can smell the stress on you, so I know that whatever it was you saw in her memories is something that you aren't willing to discuss just yet, or you would have already told us about it." Yeyinde instructed gently. "Just relax Guan, whatever her past, we can see to it that her future is much different."

Lilith wasn't paying any attention to what was going on around her, because Slobber was right there by the big chair she was sitting in, and she was petting and scratching the big beast. Even though she'd been hurt pretty bad and in a lot of pain, she'd still recognized that Slobber had gotten there before everyone else. She wanted to do something special for that walking mountain of overgrown spikes, because she knew that Slobber had protected her. The problem was; she was so tired that she couldn't really think all that clearly. Still… Slobber needed some good payback after what she had done, and Lilith was going to find a way to do it.

Since there wasn't anything to do except stare at the walls, or watch Thing-two build a fire, Lilith started to get out of the chair so she could sit in her bean bag and color.

"Where are you trying to go Lilith?" Than-guan asked before Guan could speak up.

Lilith pointed over to her bean bag where she wanted to go.

"No. I need for you to stay in that chair Lilith. While that piece of furniture of yours provides excellent support for the rest of your body, it does nothing for your neck. I need for you to stay in that chair until I'm certain that the healing process is complete. I do not want you to leave that chair until you are ready to sleep, eat, or until you need to relieve your waste." Than-guan said in a stern tone that brooked no arguments.

Lilith frowned because all she really wanted was her coloring books and map pencils which were on the floor next to her bean bag. She thought about how to ask for a moment, before she started making motions with her hands to show small objects about a foot long and a few inches in width, then she pointed at her bean bag.

Than-guan watched Lilith carefully while the little female signaled something to her. It wasn't until Lilith pointed that she looked at the floor next to the strange piece of furniture, and saw a stack of objects placed neatly next to it.

"Are those things you can use while staying in that chair?" Than-guan asked.

Lilith nodded her head.

"No!" Than-guan nearly shouted. "Lilith, I do not want you to nod or shake your head right now. I will not have you permanently injured or paralyzed. If you need to signal yes or no, then raise this hand," Than-guan said as she grabbed Lilith's right hand, "for yes and this one for no. Do you understand me?" She finished firmly after indicating both hands.

Lilith raised her right hand nervously. At this point, she didn't think Thing-one was going to let her have anything to do. She didn't want to think about what would happen now that Gwen knew everything. She knew that Gwen had been acting a lot differently than she usually did, and Lilith knew that it meant trouble. Trouble was something she didn't want, because trouble always meant blood, tears, lots of incredible pain, and sometimes, when she just couldn't take it anymore, her screams. She really didn't want to think about those things right now, and she didn't want to think about what Gwen was thinking about doing to her for being such a worthless mistake.

Suddenly, even as she was looking at Thing-one, Lilith could help but wonder if Gwen was now pissed because of how expensive it had been to have her arms and legs fixed, now that the Predator knew the truth. Then, Lilith's thoughts were broken as Thing-one spoke again.

"I will ask again Lilith… are those things that you are able to use without leaving that chair?" Than-guan asked suspiciously.

Lilith started to nod her head, but then she remembered what she just been told and raised her right hand before her head even moved.

"Very well then, you may have them, on condition that you do not try to leave that chair, is that agreed?"

Lilith raised her right hand in confusion. She would have sworn that wouldn't get the stuff, but she had. She couldn't help but smile upon having the books and box of pencils placed in her hands.

Guan didn't need that keen Yautja sense of smell to know that Lilith's smile was nervous as well as a host of other emotions. She could see it in the pup's posture, the apprehensive glances that were directed at everyone Lilith could see. Then there was the fearful way that Lilith fairly huddled in the chair… as if fully expecting someone to inflict further pain on her. She knew that would never happen, because no Yautja with even a shred of honor could do such a thing, but she could tell that Lilith fully expected exactly that same kind of dishonorable treatment at any moment. That sudden revelation made her think back over every moment she had spent with the little ooman female, and she came to the conclusion that Lilith had always been ready, and even expected such treatment from them. That was not a pleasant thought or realization.

Anger, horror, shock, rage, disbelief… Guan couldn't even begin to describe everything she was feeling after learning what Lilith had been made to endure. The entrance of her Life mate and two older sons were noticed, but didn't break her thoughts. Why… no… how could those two oomans ever have thought that Lilith was worthless? It was something that made no sense to her. Then she was pulled from her thoughts by Than-guan telling Lilith that it was time to eat. She watched her Hunt Sister lift the little pup and carry her to the table. Guan went to her room for a moment before joining them for the evening meal.

As everyone began fixing their plates, Kwei couldn't help but notice the anger, despair along with extreme amounts of stress emanating from his Life Mate. Dealing with a female who would be in such a foul temper was not something he felt like doing. Thinking that just maybe discussing the problem might help some, he asked about it.

"Don't bother her right now. This morning, a Warrior from another Clan tried to interrogate Lilith while she was outside. By his own admission, she was leaning against the tree next to our home, but when she didn't answer, he injured her… badly. The issue was taken before a Tribunal, and when Lilith didn't answer their questions… they put her through cerebral scanning. Mother was present when they scanned her." Setg'in stated sourly before he started eating.

"So what ever it was that she saw in Lilith's memories is what's bothering her." Kwei said in a flat voice.

"Yes… and she has said only a few words since we left the Temple of Justice. Whatever it was that she saw in Lilith's memories was severe enough that it was making the Arbitrator who conducted the scan become physically ill. You and I both know what types of atrocities Guan has had to become inured to in order to progress in her training." Than-guan said as she spoke up.

Kwei-vor'mekta knew that the training to become an Arbitrator meant being forced to view all types of dishonorable acts. Potential Arbitrators were shown things that would make any other Warrior sick to their stomach so that they only provided anger and determination to an Arbitrator so that they could then rid the universe of a plague of dishonor. For an Arbitrator to become physically ill meant that whatever had been found in Lilith's memories was very grim indeed. He decided to say no more during the meal, because such a topic was not one that was beneficial to an appetite. The bad part was that he'd actually had some good news to impart, but with the somber mood at the table, and the concern over Lilith's injury, Kwei kept his silence for now.

After everyone had finished eating, Yeyinde planned to clear away the dishes and place them in the sterilizer, but before she could do that, Guan had turned to Lilith and given her something.

"Lilith… this belongs to you. Although I would prefer that you do not have it, neither I nor anyone else has the right to deprive you of something that was given to you by your ooman parents. I will tell you now that they should never have given you that." Guan said as she handed Lilith her tiny blade.

Lilith looked at the pocket knife and felt a blast of fear shoot through her at the sight of it. She opened the knife, but she had no idea what Gwen wanted her to do with it. She put the point between the thumb and first finger of her left hand, while she stared at the blade in shock.

'I should have known that this was going to happen. Instead of them doing it, they're going to make me do it… just like my parents did. I… I don't wanna hurt anymore.' Lilith thought in frustration, sadness, and anger at the ignominy of it all. That was when she heard Gwen ask everyone at the table a question, and that one question blew her mind so much that all she could do was stare at Gwen with her mouth gaped in utter shock. She was so stunned in fact, that she failed to notice that the tip of her pocket knife was now buried half an inch into the palm of her left hand.

"Why would anyone think Lilith is worthless?" Guan wondered aloud.

"What?" Hulij-bpe asked in a near shout. "How can you even ask something like that? How can Lilith be worthless when she saved Nihkou'te's life? If Lilith hadn't intervened when she did, Nihkou'te would have no honor, and he would be dead too. That drone would have killed him. Lilith can't be worthless!"

"I would have to agree with my older brother. Lilith might be mischievous and disrespectful at times, but natural cunning like hers is a very rare thing. She's far too intelligent to be worthless! She could become one who forsakes her honor, but I don't think that would make her worthless even then." Setg'in said slowly while thinking about what he was saying.

Guan turned to look at Lilith intending to argue with what she'd seen and heard the pup's own parents saying, when she saw that Lilith was simply staring at her in shock with the tip of her tiny blade sticking into her left hand. It was more than disturbing to her when she saw that Lilith didn't appear to even notice that the blade was buried in the palm of her left hand between the thumb and fore finger.

Guan stared in utter shock for a few heart beats before she acted quickly. She grabbed an empty bowl that had held unpeeled fruit, so she knew that it was clean. She immediately placed it under Lilith's hand, which was just starting to bleed. Then she quickly pulled the blade out and allowed the pup's blood to drip into the bowl.

"Just hold your hand there Lilith. Let your blood spill into the bowl so it doesn't get on the table." Guan instructed.

Guan couldn't believe what had just happened. She didn't know or even care if it had been an accident, sheer luck, destiny, or even the will of the Gods… what she did know was that she would certainly be giving her thanks to both Paya, and Cetanu for that one small cut, which could and would do so much! She gently took Lilith's knife and cut her own left hand in an exact duplication of the cut Lilith had on hers.

"As our blood joins and mixes, so will our lives!" Guan stated seriously as she squeezed her left hand into a fist over the bowl to force her blood to flow into it as she laid the knife on the table next to her.

"I see Honor within that blood, so I will add mine." Yeyinde said as she reached over, picked up the pocket knife, and cut her left palm, before placing the knife in the middle of the table.

Lilith watched in open mouthed confusion as Thing-One, Thing two, and then Old Bruce each cut their left hands before dripping their blood into the same bowl she was bleeding into. Then Rave, Celtic, and Scar each did the same thing.

Lilith had no idea what was happening when Gwen smiled brightly at the rest of the Predators who had all cut themselves and poured their blood in the same bowl her blood was in. She could even swear that Gwen was almost happy enough to burst out singing, and that really scared her. Then, even as she watched Gwen use her pocket knife to stir the blood in the bowl until it was glowing dark green, she could hear the big Predator humming softly to herself. That was when she watched Gwen use that same pocket knife to scoop out some of the blood and smear it into the cut on her left hand. Her eyes nearly bulged out of her head when she saw all of the other Predators do the same thing. Then they were using those weird claw looking fingernails to push the dark green blood deeper into their hand before using some stuff from a giant syringe looking thing that Thing-one had laid out to heal the cuts on their hands.

"It is now your turn… if you are willing Lilith. You do not have to do this with us, and no one can make you finish this ceremony, but we will all be deeply honored if you decide to do so." Guan said gently as she held out her hand towards Lilith.

Lilith had no idea what this was about, but she could tell that Gwen really wanted her to do this. She held out her left hand which was still bleeding and watched as Guan took her pocket knife and smeared some blood from the bowl into the cut on her hand. It didn't hurt anywhere near as bad as the things her parents had done to her, so she only winced at the sting of the blood being pushed and worked into the cut. Then her eyes almost bugged out of her head at the burn from the stuff in that syringe. Now that burned! It was as bad as a cigarette felt, maybe even worse. There were tears in her eyes when Gwen grabbed another syringe from her right leg and shot some of that stuff on her hand. Almost instantly, her left hand went completely numb, and Lilith stared at it in shock.

"Good thinking with the pain blocker, Guan. That is full strength healing serum, and it can cause enough pain that it might just make Lilith want to be rid of that hand otherwise." Than-guan said quickly.

"I have seen that Lilith has endured enough foul treatment. So long as she lives in this house, she will not endure such things again. I will always have the pain blocker you made for her with me!" Guan replied heavily.

Guan Kv'var-de had seen many things in her life. At three hundred and seventy two ooman years old, she'd seen and done a lot. During her training to become an Arbitrator, she had been shown many of the atrocities that have been committed by bad bloods. Many of the crimes were gruesome and without any shred of honor… but never, never had she seen anything like the absolute horror that Lilith actually lived through! That little ooman female was only a pup. Lilith was young enough that she was supposed to be a living example of the morals and honor that her parents taught her. Instead, Lilith had been made to suffer through more dishonor than could ever be believed. She knew that Lilith had managed to retain some semblance of honor, because her actions had shown that. Giving the Elder who supervised her First Hunt a gift was a sign of that honor. The fact that it was useful gift, only made it that much more obvious. Then there was that strange thing that she had been given by the pup, who had actually purchased the object with money earned by selling a trophy. To be sure, it was only a simple shield to keep the rain off of her, but Lilith had acted almost instantly to obtain it. There had been no hesitation from the little pup to spend the money she had earned through blood, sweat, and pain to buy something that the little ooman obviously had no use for.

"Come Lilith, we will all spend a quiet night in front of the fire, before getting some sleep. None of us have anything scheduled to do tomorrow, so we can simply relax, rest, and allow our food to digest." Guan said as she picked Lilith up and carried her to the main room.

Guan placed Lilith in the nearly shapeless lump that the pup used as a piece of furniture. Before handing her the things that had been left in the other chair. She noticed that Bakuub immediately took up a position on the floor next to the pup. Seeing that, made her recall exactly how fast the Yaut Hound had responded to Lilith's desperate call.

Guan knew that Bakuub had acted instantly to defend the ooman pup, and had done so without any instruction or commands from her or anyone else. She had absolutely no doubts that Bakuub had saved Lilith's life by acting immediately. After everything she'd done, and all the time she'd spent to train the Yaut Hound to help her as an Arbitrator, that effort had certainly proven to be well worth while in that one simple act. Guan was no fool of a Young Blood; she knew that the Elder was most likely experienced enough to have seriously injured Bakuub and killed Lilith. She could only give thanks to the Gods that things had gone as they had.

Guan reached to her belt and removed her mask as she sat down in the chair facing the little ooman female. She wouldn't even try to deny that she had somehow felt drawn to the Little One the very instant that Kwei had revealed her small and sleeping form, but now that simple feeling had become something much more than that. She knew that she would never again give birth to another pup; never again become pregnant. Yet somehow, the Gods had seen fit to miraculously give her one final chance. That chance had come in the form of Lilith. Small, determined, and willful, but honorable none the less. Lilith was her daughter now, and she was determined that the pup's life would be one that was much different than what she'd seen in those memories.


	21. The Challenge

(Sorry for the late update, been doing testing for the army.)

Lilith looked around in confusion at the strange gloomy grey environment. A thick grey gloom surrounded everything, but somehow she knew that there was nothing else to be found anywhere. There wasn't anything to be found except the weird grey nothing. There was no sky, no ground, no mist, and no fog, no anything… just… grey. It was everywhere. There seemed to be no end to it, and no beginning either. She kept looking around trying to find some way out of this strange place when she spotted her mother and father coming towards her at a run. Lilith tried to turn to run and hide, but found that she couldn't, because she was far too scared of them, and the expressions on their faces promised more pain than she'd ever felt in her life. Their faces twisted into horrible malicious smiles and that filled her with terror, because she knew that she was about to be made to suffer like she never had before. A soft whimper of desperation left her throat as she again wanted to run, but something stopped her from taking even a single step away from her tormentors.

Then, off to her left she saw… something. She had no idea what it was except that it was a strange shadow of the purest and blackest pitch. She thought that it looked like one of the Predators, but she couldn't really tell since it was nothing but shadow. It was total darkness, complete, impenetrable, engulfing, and it was heading towards her… fast!

Confusion welled in her mind even as a whole new level of terror filled the depths of her soul, because whatever that shadow thing was, she was somehow even more terrified of it than she had ever been afraid of her parents. Lilith heard her parents scream in absolute fear, which was something they had never done before as they turned and ran from the swift moving shadow as fast as they possibly could, Lilith desperately wanted to be running as well. Then, slowly at first, she began to move. Even as terror froze the breath from her lungs, her feet slowly began to move. She had no idea where she had found the ability or the strength, but she was now stumbling forward as she tried desperately to run for her life. The only problem was that her parents were running faster, and they were leaving her far behind to face the shadow thing on her own. So great was Lilith's fear when she tripped that she couldn't even scream. She knew that the shadow thing was going to unleash more pain and torment upon her than anything else ever had.

Then, before she could even hit the grey surface that was supposed to be the ground, Lilith was being swept up into strong powerful arms, and carried off in a new direction.

Whoever had her must be running as fast as a souped up race car; faster than she dreamed possible. Lilith looked over the shoulder of the one holding her and saw her parents still running from the shadow thing. Then it caught her father; and she watched in terrified silence as the shadow thing was ripping him apart, tearing his arms and legs off in large pieces, and making her father scream loudly in horrible agonizing pain and terror while doing so. The agonized screams that came from his throat sounded like he was now hurting even more than she ever had. Then, even as she watched, the incredibly frightening shadow thing turned from her father who was laying in numerous bloody pieces that were scattered all over the place and looked towards her.

"You may leave now little ooman, but one day… you will be one of mine!" The voice of the thing was filled with incredible power and seemed to come from everywhere at once. Then it turned and chased down her mother who was still running from it. Even before the woman was caught, her father was somehow healed and running again. A choked sob left Lilith's throat as she realized that not even the terrifying shadow thing could stop her parents. She watched in horror until all three figures were swallowed by the strange grey nothing. Looking up to see who was carrying her, Lilith gazed in shocked surprise at the very serious expression on Gwen's face.

Lilith sat up gasping for breath while her entire body shook and shivered from fear and from the cold sweat that drenched her skin. She'd had nightmares before; she'd even lived though one that had lasted for four long terrifying and miserable years… but this… this nightmare was worse than any of them. Never had she been so scared of anything as she was afraid of that shadow thing! Lilith looked down at the furs and skins of her bed hole, her huge white teddy bear, and even the pillows that Gwen had gotten her, and knew that there was no way she was going back to sleep while staying in the room alone.

Guan lay in her bed, unable to sleep. She couldn't sleep because every time she closed her eyes, she saw yet another nightmarish scene from the true horror that Lilith had been forced to live through. The agony and torment that had been so brutally unleashed upon a mere pup was something that she simply couldn't wrap her mind around. She didn't want to believe that anyone could do any of those horrible things to their own pup, but those pauk-de s'yuit-de (fucking pathetic) oomans that Lilith had been unfortunate enough to have for parents had done all of them!

'Cetanu and Paya along with all of the Gods must have been with her for her to survive all of that. Forget about her spirit, it's a wonder that her mind isn't broken. She's just a pup! She didn't ask to have them for her parents. No pup would have wanted such a thing; no pup deserves such a thing! After living through that… for years… there's no way that she could ever learn to love or trust anyone else.' Guan thought in despair.

That was when a truly unwelcome and nasty thought occurred to her. 'Oh Paya… she… she believes what they kept telling her! She must! That is why she tried to end her own life by walking off that cliff! She wasn't trying to reclaim her honor… she was trying to die so that her torment would come to an end. How can I possibly make her understand that no one here would ever do such things to her? How can I make her know that I am honored to have formed this Blood Bond with her to make her my own daughter? Will she ever be able to love anyone after going through that? How could she when the very parents who gave her life and brought her into being have treated her so abominably?' Guan wondered in dismay.

Guan rolled on to her right side to face the door to her room and let out a long shaky breath. She knew that she was going to have to show what her mask had recorded to her Lifemate, and sons, as well as her new sisters.

'Sisters… I have three new sisters and a new daughter because of Lilith. All three of my sons survived to return to me because she was there for Al-Nihkou'te. With what I've received from her and because of her, how can she ever believe that I would think her to be as worthless as her ooman parents claimed?' Guan thought sadly.

Suddenly Guan's sleepless eyes narrowed in wary tension as the door to her room slid silently open. It stayed that way for several heart beats before she saw Lilith enter and face her. When the door slid shut, Lilith crouched down slightly, stretched her hands out in front of her, and began to slowly make her way to the bed. Guan watched in silence even as her right hand hovered near a ready blade while the pup approached her bed. She watched the pup feel around on the bed for a heartbeat or two before slowly climbing on, placing her back to Guan, and pulling a fur over her.

Guan scented the air carefully, but silently as she watched Lilith closely. A strong sadness that might well be utter despair was thick about the pup, as was an incredibly large amount of stress, and fear, but there was no anger in Lilith's scent. Instinctively, Guan began to purr in an attempt to sooth the distraught ooman female. Almost immediately, Guan heard the soft sound of Lilith's sobs as the ooman pup started crying. Then, even as Guan was reaching out to pull the pup closer to her, Lilith spoke.

"I'm sorry…"

'She's apologizing? Why? What could she have possibly done to apologize for, and how could I have ever doubted that she still has honor, when the first words she ever speaks to me are those of an apology?' Guan wondered in surprise.

"What do you mean, Lilith? What are you apologizing for?" Guan asked in a puzzled tone.

Guan watched Lilith roll over so that the pup was now facing her. The pup's eyes seemed to stare at nothing in particular as Lilith's right hand found her shoulder and slowly moved upwards to gently touch Guan's lower left mandible.

"For hitting you. I… I don't even know why I did it… it just happened and I'm sorry." Lilith said in a soft tearful voice.

"Lilith, you do not need to apologize for that. Even though you didn't speak, your actions made your apology very clear. I accepted your apology then, but I must tell you that I had forgotten it. So why do you feel the need to apologize again?" Guan answered softly while still maintaining her soft purr.

"Because you didn't deserve it." Lilith answered in a sorrowful whisper.

When she heard that, Guan couldn't help but think of the incident that Lilith was referring to, then unbidden, a startling revelation struck her. 'Her parents kept her trapped while they tortured her for years. When I got that close to her, she was trapped between me and the chair. That must be why she did it, because she felt trapped again!'

"I think that what happened was my fault as well. I think you might have felt trapped between me and the chair, and I must apologize to you for making you feel that way." Guan said seriously.

Guan watched as Lilith once again stared at nothing while her hand moved towards the subject of the discussion. This time it caught Guan's attention. "Why aren't you looking at me Lilith? Do you feel that badly about it? I told you, I had forgotten it, so there is no need for you to say any more." She asked in irritation.

"Sorry… I… I can't see in here." Lilith answered plaintively.

Guan's eyes shot wide in shock when she heard that. She knew that she could see Lilith clearly, and had thought that the pup could see her as well. That was when she remembered that oomans had a different type of vision than Yautja did.

'Blessed Paya! She… she came in here knowing… knowing that she couldn't see anything! Why?' Guan thought suddenly. Then she just had to know the answer to that.

"If… if you can't see anything at all… then why did you come in here?"

"I woke up scared and… and somehow you always make me feel better… and… and even though I'm scared of the dark… I thought I'd feel safe if I was with you…" Lilith answered as fresh tears filled her eyes.

'She… she feels safe enough with me that she would even accept being rendered completely blind simply because I am with her?' Guan thought in shocked disbelief.

There was a look of confusion on Lilith's face as Guan sat up and moved to lean against the wall behind her. She began purring loudly and intensely as she reached out and pulled Lilith into her arms. "I'm honored that you feel that way Lilith, because you will always be safe while you're with me. Sleep now, Little One, because I know you're tired after what's occurred today. I will hold you until you wake up. I want you to sleep for as long as you like."

Guan couldn't express how honored she felt at that moment. That Lilith could place herself in a situation so as to willingly render herself completely blind said far more about the level of trust that she had bestowed upon Guan than mere words could ever say. Now, more than ever, she knew she had made the right decision in forming the Blood Bond with Lilith.

As he approached the table, Setg'in was surprised to see that his mother hadn't prepared the morning meal as she'd usually done. He looked at her curiously and immediately noticed two things. One, his mother wasn't wearing any clothing or armor, and two; she was holding Lilith who was sound asleep. He moved closer intending to ask if there was some kind of problem.

"Lilith came to me last night after waking up frightened. I told her that I would hold her until she wakes up, so I'll need you to prepare the morning meal." Guan instructed softly.

Setg'in didn't need to be told twice. Although the basic explanation left more questions than it answered, he knew that he'd be able to get any questions answered once the morning meal was made. He quickly warmed up plenty of s'pke and heated the broth that they always drank in the mornings. As he set the food on the table, he couldn't help but notice that the chairs had remained rearranged so that three more were added. Instead of sitting to his mother's right, he now sat to his father's right, while Nihkou'te would sit to his right.

Setg'in saw the confusion of his brothers as they took their new seats, but that confusion quickly changed to delight as the three newest members of their family took their seats across from them. Setg'in happily nodded his greetings to the three healers, and turned his attention to his meal. He'd only taken a few sips of his broth when his father entered and sat down tiredly.

"How is she?" Kwei asked as he spotted Lilith in his Lifemate's arms sleeping soundly.

"I'm not really sure." Guan answered morosely.

"What do you mean? Why not?" Yeyinde demanded almost instantly.

"Yesterday, I learned the incredibly horrible reason behind Lilith's silence… and her injuries. Both have the same terrible cause. What's been done to her is an abomination beyond anything I ever imagined possible. Yet, at the same time, there is still trust and honor within her." Guan said in a soft but heavy tone while keeping her voice down to avoid waking the female in her arms.

"I know the trust and honor are there, because she entered my room last night absolutely reeking of fear. She finally spoke to me last night, and the first words she spoke were those of an apology." Guan said with no small amount of pride.

"An apology? What could she possibly have to apologize to you for?" Kwei demanded in disbelief.

"That was what I wanted to know, and I asked her about it. She apologized for striking me the other day. She wasn't sure how or even why it happened, but I think I know the answer now." Guan stated before looking over at her new sisters.

"Than-guan, I need you to prepare at least twelve injections of sedative. Make sure each one is potent enough to subdue an irate female. When Lilith wakes up, I will inform her of what I'm going to do, then I'll allow each of you to learn what I did yesterday. It will not be at all pleasant, but you deserve to know why Lilith acts as she does, since each of you will now be sharing a home… and your lives with her." Guan said heavily.

"I know I get angry mother, but isn't that a bit much… even for me?" Hulij-bpe asked cautiously while looking at his mother nervously.

"They aren't all for you. Before this is over, all of us may need to be sedated." Guan answered seriously.

"All of us? Guan, you must remember that we at least know something of what to expect." Yeyinde exclaimed quickly.

"No… no you don't. What has actually happened to this tiny Little One in my arms is far worse than we ever began to suspect! Slaves, even… even animals are given better treatment than Lilith received." Guan said with a shaky breath.

"It was her father… wasn't it?" Setg'in asked softly.

"What? No! Impossible!" Hulij-bpe exploded angrily.

"Silence!" Guan hissed angrily. "Do not wake Lilith! After being forced to recall the living nightmare that has been her life, she needs a peaceful rest, and for right now at least, she's getting it. So do not wake her!"

"Setg'in… you will be silent, and say no more! Besides… that wasn't the entire cause of the problem." Guan added a moment later.

Around the table, every Yautja felt their blood run cold at those words which had been spoken in a soft but toneless voice that said far more than any amount of emotion would have been able to convey.

Lilith moaned softly in her sleep addled state. Two large and strong arms were holding her, as she was being cradled against a warmth that was as craved as it was unfamiliar. A soft hum of contentment sounded in her throat as she snuggled closer to the wonderfully warm body of the one holding her. At that moment, she was comfortable, and barely on the verge of consciousness, so none of the fears or apprehension that she lived with on a day to day basis intruded on her mind. Gone were the cares of the world. Gone were the worries of being found worthless. Gone was the lonely heartache of not being wanted by anyone. For the first time in just over four years, Lilith was actually happy to be held by someone.

Lilith sighed in a contented hum as the warm body she was snuggling up to began to vibrate from a soft but powerful purr. She started waking up as the feeling of being safe and secure grew stronger. She opened her eyes to see that her head was resting on a grayish green shoulder that was nice and very warm. She sat up a little and looked at the Predator woman who was holding her. She knew that she almost always had some kind of nightmare whenever she slept. The only other time she could remember that she didn't have some kind of a nightmare about her parents, was when Gwen had been holding her the day before yesterday. It was strange, because it seemed like being held by Gwen actually made the nightmares stay away.

'Maybe she looks scary enough to even scare the bad dreams away.' Lilith thought as she looked down. That was when something caught her attention, and she glanced down to see that Gwen wasn't wearing any clothes.

Realizing that she was at the dinning room table, Lilith glanced around behind her and immediately saw the others sitting there. Instantly, her eyes darted to her own body, and to her great relief saw that she was still wearing the dark blue T-shirt that went down past her knees, and she could tell that she was still wearing the cut off shorts from those super long alien pants that Gwen had bought her. Lilith looked up at Gwen with confusion evident in her eyes; wondering why the Predator was sitting at the table while completely naked.

"Did you get enough rest Lilith?" Guan asked as she looked at the pup in her arms and offered her a cup of hot broth.

Lilith looked at Gwen and the cup suspiciously; wondering if Gwen was treating her like a baby again, or if there was some other reason for this. She took the cup and stayed in Gwen's lap drinking quietly while waking up. She could see the other Predators eating their breakfast and drinking their broth, and she noticed that Thingy and her sisters were still there. The whole situation made her nervous and made her feel like she was on trial for something. Lilith had the nasty suspicion that she knew what that something was.

Guan sipped at her own broth and watched in silence as Lilith slowly woke up. She wanted the ooman pup to be fully alert for the question she wanted to ask, and she was prepared to wait as long as needed for that to happen. Guan soon realized that she could tell whenever Lilith looked down at her body, because the female pup's face would instantly flush with heat, and she knew the ooman pup was embarrassed by something, and she knew very well what the cause was.

Guan knew that adult female Yautja had no qualms about being nude around those they knew. She knew that as adults themselves, her sons had no problem seeing her naked, since she didn't have anything they hadn't seen before or would see again. There was a common insistence that female pups be properly covered though, and that was because their bodies tended to develop oddly sometimes, and the genitalia could become inflamed and appear ready for breeding even though the young female clearly wasn't, for no reason at all. It was well known that many younger males could be horribly randy at times, at that was the other part of the reason that female pups were almost always covered. The only exceptions to that were medical necessity, and when the only other company was other adult females who could adequately defend the young female from any unwelcome male advances.

"I told you that I would hold you until you woke up, didn't I?" Guan asked softly.

Lilith nodded her head slightly, because she did remember Gwen telling her that before going to sleep in the woman's arms… but she never would have believed that Gwen would go around wearing nothing simply so the Predator could hold her.

"Good. Now, I need you to drink your broth while it's hot, and eat your morning meal. You won't be doing anything strenuous or exerting yourself today, because I want you to relax and recover after what happened yesterday." Guan instructed firmly.

Lilith nodded her head, and couldn't help but wonder why Gwen was treating her the way she was. 'They told me that machine would show them everything I remembered, and I even saw it. She knows all of it now. She knows how worthless I am, even if the others don't… so why is she still being nice to me? Why can't they just start hating me and making me hurt like my parents did? Why are they making me wait like this? It's driving me crazy! I know they're going to make me suffer, so why don't they just get it over with and start hurting me?'

When the strong acrid scent of stress mixed with fresh fear along with a touch of anger began to rise from the ooman pup in her arms, Guan knew that Lilith was fully awake. It saddened her to know that the only times the ooman seemed to feel at ease was when under the effects of heavy sedation or sometimes while sleeping, but now she understood that there were very valid reasons behind Lilith's fear.

Guan knew the depths of the horror that Lilith had been forced to live through, and she knew that she was unable to counter such an abominable tragedy by herself. She needed help. Help from her family; help from what was now Lilith's family, and that was what she planned to obtain. She knew the depths of honor possessed by her family members, and she readily included her new sisters in that knowledge. She also knew that it was going to take every last bit of that honor, along with all of their mental strength to help Lilith understand that she was no longer alone. She would get her family to make Lilith see that she now had others that she could rely on, others that she could trust, and others who would see to it that she was safe, and well protected. Guan knew that together, her family could see to it, that Lilith learned the truth of the lies she'd been told by the ooman Bad Bloods. Guan knew that her family would see to it that Lilith never suffered such torment again.

"Lilith you know that I am aware of why you choose not to speak to us. What you may not be aware of is that I was wearing my mask, and that it recorded everything I saw while you were questioned under cerebral scanning. All of those memories, and the readouts that indicated the physical sensations you experienced, along with your emotional state at the time are recorded on my mask. I will tell you that your thoughts during those memories were not scanned, so I can't begin to guess what you might have been thinking while such things were done to you. All I know is what was actually said and done… as well as how you felt at the time." Guan said softly as she stroked Lilith's arms in a comforting caress.

"May I show everyone here what my mask recorded yesterday?" Guan asked the ooman in her arms.

Lilith went stiff in renewed fear. 'It doesn't matter if she shows them or tells them, they'll still know the truth. Even if I get away from Gwen, I can't open the front door, and even if I got out, I'm stuck on a world full of Predators that will hate me.' She thought despondently before she nodded her head, because she knew there was no way to stop what she knew was now going to happen.

"Kwei, I want you to retrieve my mask from our room. I will say now, that what all of you are about to learn is the reason that Lilith has refused to speak, and each of you will need to decide for yourselves how you will deal with this knowledge." Guan instructed as calmly as she could manage.

Kwei stared at his Lifemate for several seconds before he got up and went to their room to retrieve the afore mentioned mask. When he returned he placed it on the table next to Guan, before silently resuming his seat at the other end of the table.

Guan took the mask and placed it on her head for a moment, before holding it out to her largest son. "Hulij-bpe will view the recording first; then Nihkou'te, and finally Setg'in. After Setg'in has viewed it, I will make an adjustment, and the others will see it starting with Kwei, and working down the table back to me." Guan said heavily.

"Why do you need to make an adjustment after I see it?" Setg'in asked cautiously.

"Because there is something in Lilith's memories that the three of you don't need to know at this time. The rest of us are already aware that the incident occurred." Guan snapped quickly.

Hulij-bpe placed the mask on his head, and within mere moments, the large Yautja began shaking, and his dreadlocks flared with rage while every muscle in his large body tensed for combat. The rage that flowed through his veins was clearly visible for several long moments before it began to be replaced by something else. Shock and horror were readily apparent on his face, as he despondently laid the mask on the table and stared at it in total dejection.

Guan watched her largest son carefully for several long moments out of concern. She had been positive that he would live up to his name and go mad with rage. His current reaction surprised her, but then, with the horrible knowledge her mask held, no one's reactions could be certain. Then, her eyes went wide in shock as Hulij-bpe reached across the table to grab one of the injectors and quickly dosed himself with the entire contents. She didn't bother to ask if he would be okay, because after seeing what he had, Guan was certain that few things would ever be the same for him again. She nodded to her eldest son, and watched as he donned to mask with obvious reluctance.

Al-Nihkou'te froze in disbelief in the act of putting his hands down. They seemed to hover in front of him for a moment before dropping to his lap as if the Warrior had somehow forgotten that they were still attached to his body.

When the recording was nearing it's end and Nihkou'te was watching it in silence, Hulij-bpe got up from the table and stumbled away muttering about being sick. Even as the large male left the room, Nihkou'te placed the mask on the table with shaking hands. He seemed to hesitate for a brief moment before he pushed it away as if not wanting to ever touch it again, then he placed his head in his hands and leaned his elbows on the table to think about what he'd learned. A second later, he reached across the table to grab and injector loaded with sedative and dosed himself with it. Then he tossed the empty injector on the table, and shook his head while he tried to understand why Lilith had been treated in such a way.

Setg'in reached for the mask with a strange mix of reluctance and curiosity. From the reactions of his brothers, he knew that what he was about to see was bad, and that the various injuries and scars which Lilith bore, gave him at least the idea that it was much worse than he wanted to imagine.

The first few seconds of the recording didn't seem that bad, but then each scene spiraled rapidly from one atrocity down into the abominable depths of one horror after another. Partway into the recording, Setg'in began to feel as if he were the one being subjected to such torment. He wanted to scream in helpless rage to the far ends of the universe. He craved the opportunity to rend those two oomans limb from limb slowly, so they could suffer at least some of what Lilith had been forced to endure. He wanted to speak with Cetanu himself and beg for the privilege of hunting the two oomans for the rest of eternity, even at the cost of his life and soul. Then, when the recording finally ended, the young Warrior couldn't bring himself to face the unwilling victim of what he'd seen. Revulsion, disgust, and horror warred in his mind and sadness bordering on despair filled his spirit as he tossed the mask away from him. He stared slack faced at the table, while Than-guan passed the mask back to his mother.

'No wonder she seemed to enjoy herself in the Temple of Passage! After going through all of that, she must have wanted to die just to put an end her suffering. If that other ooman female hadn't pulled her away, Lilith would have stayed and faced me. She would have tried to taunt me into killing her.' Setg'in thought miserably.

That was when he caught the familiar tang of fear that originated from Lilith. That scent was familiar because it was what Lilith felt all too often. Now he understood why she had cried out or even screamed in her sleep. Lilith was reliving the same horror she'd already endured, that same horror that he'd only just learned of. He now knew that Lilith wasn't being disrespectful or disobedient. She was being valiantly, and bravely… even courageously defiant in the face of those she had no hope of even fighting. He knew that Lilith had even less hope of being able to fight him off than she'd had against her parents who'd performed such tortures on her. He recalled how she had boldly faced him in the Temple, how she had courageously challenged him in every way she could, and how she had fought determinedly against him while literally using tooth and nail even as he tried to carry her to safety.

That was when he knew. Setg'in knew that Lilith had the heart and soul of a true warrior beating within her chest, and that not even the worst treatment from those despicable Bad Bloods had made her forsake her honor. He realized that Lilith didn't trust his family not to do such things to her, because if her own parents could do such things, then how could she possibly believe that others would not? He knew that his family members were honorable, but he had to wonder if that honor was strong enough to withstand the constant doubt and mistrust that Lilith must surely feel towards them. Setg'in didn't know the answer to that, but he did know that they were going to try. He was going to try! For his newly Blood Bonded sister, the young Warrior could do no less.

Guan looked around the table at the members of her family who remained seated there after learning the sickening truth of what had been done to the ooman pup that they now claimed as their own. Her Lifemate and her three sisters were all silent as they sat in various stages of mixed shock and anger at those who were beyond their grasp. Both of her sons looked as if they were going to lose their morning meal, and she couldn't blame them for feeling that way. Still reeking of fear, Lilith moved to get down, and she let the pup go while longing for something to say that could change what she knew to be the truth. She heard the ooman pup go into the room that was now hers alone, and wished she could think of something to alleviate at least some of Lilith's fears. Suddenly, Guan realized that she had one resource at hand that just might help, and it was one that Lilith had been responsible for giving her; one of her newly Blood Bonded sisters.

"Yeyinde, you've now seen what Lilith has endured from her own parents. I'm sure she fully expects us to do the same. I ask you… how can we prove that we won't?" Guan asked in a soft but fervent tone.

"We can't! Not now and maybe not ever. She may end up doubting us until the day she dies, because there is no way to actually prove that we won't cause her harm." Yeyinde said sadly as she shook her head and replaced her own mask on her belt after making an adjustment to it.

"We knew some of the damage that was done to her body, because we've seen and even removed some of it… but the injuries to her spirit and her trust may never heal. I… I've been taught many methods to help those who've been tormented by Bad Bloods who were strangers… or possibly even other relatives… but I don't think anyone could have envisioned that a pup's own… own parents would… or even could do such things to their own offspring." Yeyinde continued before breaking off in deep thought as she remembered something else from the recordings.

Yeyinde took a deep shuddering breath as she clasped her hands together on the table and looked at them while she concentrated in thought. Finally, after several long moments, she spoke.

"There may be one chance." Yeyinde began in suddenly renewed hope. "Lilith was repeatedly told by her parents that she's worthless. You tried to counter that yesterday, just before the Blood Bonding, and I think you made a fair start of it. In fact, I think it was your question that surprised Lilith enough to make her injure herself exactly as needed by sheer accident. Perhaps it might have been influence from Cetanu or even Paya herself, but that one cut can now be put to good use. We can't prove anything to her… but we can show her what she has accomplished that makes her worthy! Give her something that she can look back on and know that she isn't worthless! She must be made to see what she now means to us. I think her personal honor is important to her, because she probably sees that as the only thing she has left that is hers and not something given to her by another."

"Her hunting of the tunnel runners the other day was hailed as an unqualified success by all who observed the hunt, because she got all of them! Can't that be used?" Guan asked suddenly as she began to wrack her mind for possibilities.

"That is one thing, but she did have the help of Bakuub during that hunt, so she may not see that as we do. On the other hand… there is the way she polished our armor the night before. Even your training armor was polished so impressively that the technician thought it was new. He even stated that there would be those who would pay very highly for such a service. That is something she accomplished on her own… with no help or input from any of us… and she did it without even being asked. Not to mention that she also showed us how to do it." Kwei suggested after thinking about it for a moment.

"That is an excellent suggestion. It's something that she has done which is much appreciated by others. That proves some kind of worth at least. What else is there? The more examples we can give her, the more of a chance there is that she'll believe us instead of her ooman parents." Yeyinde said firmly.

"I know without an explanation that it doesn't sound like much, but there's the means that she's been using to communicate with us." Setg'in said quietly.

"What do you mean? What has that to do with proving her worth?" Than-guan asked suspiciously.

"Lilith has a remarkable intelligence for her to be able to make herself understood the way she does; in almost any kind of situation." Setg'in replied with a rueful snicker. "From demonstrating that I started the argument that first night by taking her plate, to explaining how she wanted her room changed to better suit her wants, and needs. Thwei-de-thei-de even commented on her communication skills, and remarked that he was impressed by them."

"That's right! I've seen how adept she is at getting her point across without speaking." Than-guan exclaimed. "Setg'in has a very good point… Lilith is very intelligent, and she uses that intelligence freely. Even though she has no more than a pup's education, and an incomplete one at that, she still reasons things out quite well. She's to be commended for it."

As soon as she entered her room, Lilith looked around despondently. There was the small closet with no door where her clothes were hung, the four Aztec, Inca, or maybe even Mayan hangings that Gwen had gotten her, one of her bean-bag chairs, the notice board of cork where she'd already hung a few pictures of Slobber, Gwen, along with the others and the ton of… well… toys really. The only things she'd actually gotten from the shops that weren't decorations or toys, was a grooming kit, a small picture sized mirror, the Polaroid instant camera, and some clothes. Gwen had gotten her all of these things, and had even helped her set up the room by putting in some weird looking nails for the hangings and mirror.

Tears of grief fell slowly down her cheeks as her blue eyes displayed the sadness that welled within her heart. Not only had she begun to actually like these Predators, but she'd even started to have fun with them. They had even started to seem almost like a new set of friends to her. 'All that's over now. They know the truth… and they'll start hating me… just like my parents did. I couldn't even fight back against my mother and father… so how the hell am I supposed to fight them? I can't, and they know it! I thought I was trapped in the basement, but now… now I'm not even on Earth anymore. Even if I knew how to get out of this house, there's no where for me to run, no where to hide, and no place where I won't get hurt.'

The pain of grief and heartbreak in Lilith's chest was like a physical thing bearing down on her. Her tears began to flow ever faster as she realized that she'd actually begun to have hope. Hope that these Predators would start to like her, hope that she wouldn't have to suffer, hope that she could somehow become something other than a worthless mistake, hope that she might actually have a home now. But what really hurt more than anything was that she realized she'd begun to hope that someone… even if they were monstrous looking aliens… that someone might start to care about her enough to actually love her.

For a long and miserable time, hope had been a nearly non-existent thing. What tiny shred of hope that she held had consisted of a few scraps of food, some water, or that maybe… just maybe she wouldn't receive a horribly brutal beating that day. Her life in the basement had become such a grim and pathetic state of being that no other kind of hope had existed for Lilith, because she knew that nothing else was possible.

Lilith knew there was no way to escape from these Predators, and despair mixed with desperation as she changed into the clothes she'd taken from her mother's closet. There were still quite a few large greenish stains on the jeans from her killing of the tunnel runners a couple days earlier, and the back of the shirt was torn from the claws of the tunnel runner that had attacked her in the vent, but she ignored that and got dressed quickly. She grabbed her pocket knife which had finally been given back to her the day before, and left what she knew would no longer be her room.

She stood outside the door for a moment as her mind raced for any kind of possibility that might get her out of this hellish mess. She knew that she'd rather be dead than be made to suffer anymore, and she was absolutely frantic as her panicked mind scrambled to think of a place that would give her at least a chance of fighting these Predators off long enough to make them kill her. The living room was out of the question, because she could hear the Predators still talking at the dining room table, which was right next to it, so she went into the kitchen. There, she saw the spot where a trash can was put while fixing meals. Between the weird refrigerator and a wall, it was the best spot that she could think of. The rather deep niche wasn't all that wide, but that only made it more suitable for what she intended to be an all out final fight. The tight quarters would make it almost impossible for any of the Predators to get a hold of her without getting hit or kicked in some way. She didn't actually want to hit any of them, because she was actually starting to like them, but she knew there was no choice anymore. She hunkered down with her back to the wall and her knees drawn up in front of her. That would let her kick pretty hard if she had to, plus her arms were still free so she could use her pocket knife as her final resort.

Lilith sat there with tears making silent trails down her face while she wondered just what the Predators were going to do to her. Her breath was coming in short gasps as she remembered the incredible pain her parents had forced her to endure. Her fear and terror soared to new heights as she thought of the kind of beatings that could be easily delivered by the much greater strength of these Predators.

Suddenly, Lilith was holding her breath as she tried to be silent after hearing the talking at the table come to a stop. She could hear the chairs move as the Predators got up, but their footsteps were as silent as she could only wish to be.

"Lilith? Why are you in here instead of in your room?" Guan asked softly.

Lilith just shook her head by way of answer, and her breathing kicked back into high gear. She could see all three of the 'Thing' sisters standing behind Gwen, along with Old Bruce, Scar, and Rave. Now, all of them knew the truth about her, and Lilith just knew that they had come to get her and lock her up somewhere so they could start hurting her. That was when Gwen squatted down in front of her.

"Lilith… I want you to know that I understand why you might be frightened of us, but you have no need to feel such fear. We won't harm you; not now; not ever... do you understand?" Guan asked in a strong purr as she reached out in an attempt to offer some type of comfort.

As Gwen reached towards her, everything snapped in Lilith's mind, and rage filled her soul to join the terror, and despair that was already there. In total desperation, she began kicking out at Gwen, punching with her right fist, and waving her pocket knife back and forth in her left hand while her eyes were squeezed shut in total panic. Suddenly her eyes flew wide open when she felt Gwen grab both of her wrists and pull her from the space in which she'd sought refuge.

The stress, fear, and anger that was now boiling from Lilith created such a strong, acrid, and almost acidic stench that it not only burned her sinuses, but even made Guan's eyes water from the power of it. Even as she pulled the ooman pup out into the main area of the food preparation room and closer to her, the already biting scent got even stronger. Then, Guan had her hands full as Lilith began to struggle against her with a strength that could be born from nothing but pure desperation! As fast as she was, she almost didn't react in time as Lilith tried to impale her own throat on the knife that was still clenched in her hand.

With almost no time to stop the obviously desperate ooman, Guan twisted the pup's wrist to her left and made a quick jerk in an effort to keep that sharp and deadly blade away from Lilith's all too vulnerable throat. Guan neither noticed nor cared that the blade sank so deep into her own left bicep that it became lodged in the bone. All she cared about at that moment was making absolutely certain that Lilith wasn't harmed. Seeing that the blade was no longer pointing towards Lilith, Guan quickly used a pressure point and forced the small ooman to let go of the knife when the ooman pup's hand lost all feeling in it. Suddenly, Lilith was knocked forcefully from her grasp even as she was hurled backwards to land in a sprawling heap.

Lilith smashed her nose and bottom lip on her left arm when she landed, and she knew that something had hit her from behind, but she had no idea what it was. It took her a moment for the stars to clear out of her eyes, and she tried to get up, but she was being held down by an immovable weight that covered her entire body. Whatever was on top of her was so heavy that she could barely breathe, and she sure couldn't move.

"Bakuub; defend!"

Guan sat up and stared in complete disbelieving horror at the sight of an obviously enraged and loudly growling Yaut Hound literally lying on top of the ooman pup she'd claimed as her own daughter. It made no difference that she had raised this particular Yaut Hound; she knew that she'd never be able to retrieve Lilith from that position with Bakuub alive! Guan knew that Yaut Hounds had a well known and very well deserved reputation for killing anything that got beneath them, and it was far too often that the deadly response even included their own offspring!

"Lilith… please… don't move!" Guan cried out in horror.

"Mother… relax! Lilith is safe. Bakuub won't hurt her, and she won't allow anything else to hurt Lilith either." Setg'in reassured calmly as he placed his hand on his mother's shoulder from behind.

"Don't you dare tell me that she's safe, Setg'in! Look at where she is!" Guan finished in a desperate shout.

"I know exactly where she is, and I've actually seen her do this before." Setg'in replied as calmly as he could. He knew that nothing short of a high powered plasma blast would be able to get past Bakuub to harm Lilith, so she was perfectly safe. Calming his mother down, was going to be the more important matter right now.

"Bakuub won't hurt her, not even for getting beneath her stomach. I don't know how or even why such a thing is possible, but I know that Lilith can get beneath Bakuub at will, and she even scratch Bakuub's stomach. There is that much trust between them."

"How can you prove that without risking Lilith's life?" Guan demanded angrily.

"That shouldn't be too hard. All we have to do is get Bakuub to stand up." Setg'in answered before turning his attention to the Yaut Hound. "Easy Bakuub. Fine girl."

Once her head cleared, and the stars left her vision, Lilith became aware of a loud and deadly growl coming from whatever was on top of her. The sound was so intense that she could feel that growl vibrating in her chest as she struggled to breathe. She tried to raise her head to see what was going on, because she couldn't hear anything except that loud and deadly growl that was scaring the living crap out of her! It was even worse than the one she'd heard from Gwen when they got to that weird hospital. Unable to move her head, arms, or even her legs, Lilith finally gave voice to the terror that had filled her soul.

Guan shook her head sadly when she saw that Bakuub was clearly ignoring the command that said everything was okay. So loud was the enraged growl coming from the Yaut Hound that she barely even heard the desperate, terror filled cry from beneath the large beast. Suddenly Bakuub stood up and ducked her head towards her chest to lick the ooman pup who was still on the floor, while whining plaintively.

Almost as soon as the crushing weight disappeared, Lilith was getting licked across the side of her head. She quickly rolled over, only to get licked again, only this time it was right down the middle of her face. She looked up in surprise and saw that Slobber was the one who had knocked her down, and had held her on the floor. She didn't even think about what she was doing as she reached up and scratched lightly at the huge belly over her head.

Guan stared in open mouthed shock at what she was seeing. She knew that this was not something that was supposed to be possible. But it was happening right in front of her!

"That's impossible!"

Guan looked behind her to see that Than-guan was the one who had whispered those words in just as much shock as she felt. Her surprise was so great, that she couldn't find her voice to agree with the healer.

"Lilith? Are you calm enough to understand me?" Setg'in asked softly.

Lilith nodded her head with a soft whimper of renewing fear.

"That's good. You need to stay calm right now, because you and I both know Bakuub is only trying to protect you, but mother thinks that Bakuub will kill you if you try to get out from under her. None of us want to see you hurt Lilith. No one here is going to hurt you, and we aren't going to allow anyone else to hurt you either. Do you understand?" Setg'in asked as he let out a shaky breath.

Lilith nodded her head. 'Oh, sure! I understand alright! You just want me to get away from Slobber, because you're scared of her, and she won't let you hurt me like my parents did.'

"Good, because this is very important. Mother will kill Bakuub if she doesn't think you can get out from under her safely. She certainly doesn't want to do it, but she's not going to risk allowing you to be hurt or killed. So if it becomes a choice of one of you getting killed, mother is more than willing and ready to kill Bakuub to make sure that you are safe!" Setg'in explained as calmly as he could because he didn't want to see either of the two harmed. "Now I don't want to see Bakuub killed, and I certainly don't think you do either, especially not when Bakuub's only trying to protect you."

Somehow Lilith knew that Scar wasn't joking, and she really didn't want Slobber hurt or killed. So she flipped back over onto her stomach and slid out from beneath Slobber by going between the big beast's back legs as the big beast watched her every move. The whole time she made sure to keep a wary eye on the Predators, because she was sure that Slobber was the only thing keeping her from being hurt right then. As soon as she got to her feet, Slobber turned and licked her face while whining softly. Lilith absently scratched the Yaut Hound's ears, and moved to keep the big beast between her and the watching Predators.

"How is that possible?" Guan asked in a stunned whisper.

"Somehow I don't think Bakuub is going to tell us the answer to that." Setg'in answered seriously but with a slight chuckle in his voice.

"That's not funny Little Brother! Lilith could have been killed, and just how did you even know that she's able to do that?" Al-Nihkou'te demanded quickly.

"I've seen her do it before. So did Thwei-de-thei-de just before she started eliminating the tunnel runners in his shop." Setg'in replied right before he got an idea. "It's something that really makes you wonder just what Bakuub sees in Lilith, that gives her the kind of trust that has no one has even heard of before."

Lilith gaped at Scar in disbelief. 'Slobber trusts me? Wait… that means Slobber thinks I'm worth something… doesn't it?'

"I don't care how Lilith managed to gain such trust from Bakuub; all I care about is that Bakuub is willing to defend her against anyone, and that includes me!" Guan said to her son firmly as she got to her feet.

"Lilith, I need you to listen to me. We have no intentions of hurting you… not now, or ever. What your ooman parents did… well… they would have been killed for doing such things here! We do not, and will not tolerate that kind of behavior… ever! They are already dead, so there is no way to have them face a Tribunal for the punishment they surely deserve. You need to understand… they are the ones who were worthless; not you! You are not worthless, and you are certainly no mistake either! There will almost surely be times that you will do things which require punishment, but what your parents did… they would have been executed for doing any of those things to you, so you do not need to fear that such things will happen again, because they won't." Yeyinde said firmly.

"Tell us Lilith, does your back cause you any pain? You know I saw the scars the other day, but only now does it occur to me that your back might still hurt from those injuries." Setg'in said softly.

Lilith stared at Thingy and Scar stupidly as she tried to understand what was going on. 'Why are they acting like they care? Do they think I'm stupid or something? There's no way I'm gonna let 'em get close enough to grab me so they can tie me up or chain me to a wall again.'

Guan watched Lilith closely as the little ooman maintained her strong distrust and suspicion of them, and her mind raced to find something to say, some kind of explanation that would at least give them a chance to gain her trust. Suddenly she remembered the first time she'd held the female throughout a night. It was the same night that the procedure had been done on the pup's arms and legs. That was when she recalled the comment that was made shortly before Lilith had become so distraught. 'That procedure was more expensive than sending my sons to her world for their Chiva. If she really believes that she's worthless, then she must think that I regret such an expense.'

"Lilith, I know you have no reason to believe that we mean you no harm right now, but I think I know of something that might convince you." Guan said fervently before turning to Than-guan. "When is the procedure to remove the scars from Lilith's back scheduled to take place?"

"Tomorrow. You've had to reschedule it twice now, because after the way she was injured by the tunnel runners, and after the way that… fool… injured her yesterday, she needs time to get all the chemicals out of her system. That's why we plan on performing it tomorrow, but I think she's too distraught right now to even consider such a thing. If she needs a sedative, then we'll have to put it off for at least another day." Than-guan answered a little confused.

"You see Lilith? Not only do I not regret the expense of having the scars removed from your arms and legs, but I am still going to have the same done for your back. We all know the torment that your ooman parents inflicted on you, and I don't know of any words to tell you how horribly wrong your ooman parents were for even thinking of doing those things. I know I can't take away the memories of what they did to you, but I can at least take away the physical reminders of it. Please… come back to the table where we can all sit down and talk to you properly. No one is going to try to harm you or even touch you, so you won't have anything to worry about. I just want us to talk… please." Guan pleaded softly as she turned to leave the meal preparation room.

Lilith watched in confused silence as all seven of the Predators left the kitchen so that she was now standing there alone with Slobber. She took a deep shuddering breath and wrapped her arms around the Yaut Hound's neck.

"Thank you." Lilith whispered to the Yaut Hound as she laid her head against the big beast.

'Why do they want to talk to me? All they'll want to do is make me suffer. Why can't everyone just leave me alone? I'm tired of hurting all the time. It's nice here… at least it used to be… but now they all know. They know what a worthless mistake I am, and they'll hate me now.' Lilith thought sadly.

That was when Lilith realized that she really didn't have anywhere to run, and nowhere else to go. She knew that this was the final straw, because even as powerful, huge, and dangerous as the big beast was, even Slobber couldn't protect her all the time. 'I might as well go see what they want to say and get this over with.'

When Lilith stopped in the entry way with Slobber right beside her, the first thing she saw was Thing-one getting ready to pull her pocket knife out of Gwen's arm.

"This is so deep that it's become lodged in the bone, so it's really going to hurt when I pull it out. How did this even happen?" Than-guan asked in concern and confusion.

Guan shook her head as she tried to remember the series of incredibly fast events. It had seemed like a blur as it happened, but now, in her mind, it was like seeing a slow motion atrocity taking place.

"Everything just happened so fast. Lilith was going to use it to impale herself in the throat, so it was a choice of me getting stabbed or watching her die, and I… I couldn't let that happen! Even if she weren't still a pup… I just… I just couldn't." Guan said in a soft growl of pain as the knife was removed.

"I know Lilith is distraught, but surely not to the extent that she'd try to end her own life." Yeyinde exclaimed more than a little disturbed by the mere thought of the pup killing herself.

"It wouldn't be the first time she's tried to use death as a means to avoid further torment. The last time she tried it, Hulij-bpe was nearly killed as well. If he'd had any less strength in that huge body of his, he and Lilith would both be dead right now." Kwei said bitterly as he watched Than-guan apply healing paste to his Life Mate's arm.

"This may well be more difficult than I thought. Lilith has even less reason to trust us, than she did her ooman parents." Yeyinde said with a frown. "Guan, I know that you've claimed Lilith as your daughter now, but… if it becomes necessary I would gladly take her to raise and give her time to adjust to being among us where she's free from the dishonor she's been through."

"No! … No… I know you mean well Yeyinde, but I think it best if we all work together to combat Lilith's past. She is now a member of my family, and I won't turn away from her simply because she doesn't trust me. I'll just have to show her that she can trust me… trust all of us! Even though she shouldn't have been there to begin with, I'm glad that Lilith was in the Temple of Passage. If it hadn't been for her presence in that Temple, I would have lost at least one of my sons, and now, not only do I have all three of my sons back as Blooded Warriors, but I have Lilith to raise as my daughter, and now I've even gained three much loved sisters as well… and it's all because of her! I owe Lilith! I owe her in a way that can't ever be repaid, and the only way that I know of that will even begin to pay that debt of honor back is to try to give her the kind of family that she should have had among the oomans. After what she's been through, she deserves a home where she can be happy, and a place to feel safe from the horrid torture she's been put through. I know we can give her that… she's earned it!" Guan said with a fervent growl.

Lilith's mouth dropped open in stunned disbelief as she heard that. Fresh tears began flowing down her face as she stared at the Predators sitting at the table. 'They don't know I'm here. They're so busy talking that they don't even know I'm here!'

"Do you really mean that?" Lilith asked in a shaky tear filled whisper of disbelief. "Do you really mean that I… I won't have to be hurt anymore? Please… I… I just don't… I can't… I don't want to hurt anymore."

Guan turned her head towards the entry and saw Lilith standing there with Bakuub right next to her. She could see the lower temperature of the fluid that was running from the pup's eyes, as well as smell the intense stress and fear coming from the ooman. Instantly, she was out of her chair and moving fast as she pulled Lilith into her arms in a firm protective embrace.

"Yes Lilith, I do mean that! I mean that absolutely! This is your home now, and the kind of life you led before Kwei brought you here is over. There will be no more torment; no more torture, and no more pain; not from us. I won't say that everything will be easy and happy from now on, because only the Gods can know the future, but I can, and with the help of our family, I will make sure that the life you have here is much better than what your ooman parents gave you." Guan insisted as she laid her head against Lilith's.

"How can you say that when… when I'm just a worthless mistake?" Lilith demanded in a sobbing whisper.

"I can easily say it because I am not a fool, or ignorant enough to believe that! You have proven your worth and honor several times during the few short days that you've been here. Just look at all you've done… you've given Nihkou'te his life, and given me my son. Thanks to you, I have three females whom I have long cared for to claim as my actual sisters now. You've proven to be one of the most devastating hunters of tunnel runners that many have ever seen, you've polished our armor to the point that several of the Clan's Elders have asked not only for your services, but also for your instruction on how to polish armor!" Guan said insistently as she held Lilith away to look into the pup's eyes.

"They are asking for a mere pup, for you, Lilith… to teach them your methods of polishing armor. Warriors who have been tending to their awu'asa for several ooman lifetimes want to learn what you know; they want to learn from you Lilith! If you were truly worthless, then no one would care about anything you knew, now would they? Bakuub would not tolerate being around you, and she certainly wouldn't let you get away with crawling around beneath her. If I or anyone else were to even try doing such a thing, Bakuub would kill us so fast we'd never know how we got to the after life." Guan said fervently.

"You haven't even been on our world for a single ten day, and already the High Elder and the High Matriarch wish to speak with us about you, because of what you know that we do not. Your name is quickly becoming known to those who govern us. If you were truly as worthless as your ooman parents claimed, do you think anyone would care? They would not. Those who are worthless have nothing of value; they know nothing of value; they have no skills that can be commended, and no honor to redeem themselves. Even the dead are not considered to be worthless, because their bodies feed plants, plants feed animals, and those animals feed other creatures that we enjoy hunting. The only beings who are actually worthless are Bad Bloods! When one is proven to be a Bad Blood, they are hunted down and killed. Not even they are made to suffer as you were. I do not know how you regard your ooman parents, but they would have been immediately labeled as Bad Bloods for just a few of the things they did to you! If any of us were to try even one of those abominable actions we would be executed as a Bad Blood." Kwei stated firmly as he stood up so Lilith could see him from the other end of the table.

"I know that Guan would never do any of those things to you or anyone else, but if she did, her own sons, and even I would be required to kill her for it. So even if you were worthless, and you are not… you are still safe among us." Kwei finished softly.

Lilith wrapped her arms around Gwen's neck and began sobbing hysterically. "I tried… I tried to tell them I was sorry… I tried to be good… but they wouldn't even tell me what I did wrong. How can I stop being bad when I don't know what I'm doing wrong? I don't wanna be worthless… but I don't know what I did…"

"I don't know what you might have done wrong Lilith, but I can tell you that I don't care either! I'm not sure about what you might have done before they started tormenting you, but I do know that your ooman parents were Bad Bloods who had no honor, or even any concept of honor. Maybe they saw that you do have honor, and that was what angered them, and turned them against you. We'll never know, but I will say that I do not regret claiming you as my little sister. Granted, you can be even more stubborn than Hulij-bpe at times, but you have never shown any dishonor. There has been some disrespect, and definitely defiance… but dishonor? No! I haven't seen any of it. Not from you. The only time I've seen dishonor in relation to you was when I watched that abomination of a recording on mother's mask, and even though I'm glad to know what happened to you, I can wish that I had never seen it. Even more… I can whole heartedly wish… that you had never been forced to live it." Setg'in finished quietly.

Lilith lifted her head from Gwen's shoulder to look at Scar irritatedly. "If you're talking about when I flipped you off in that pyramid… you had it coming! You threw that Frisbee full of knives at me and it flew so close that it could have cut a bunch of my hair off!" She protested.

Guan placed her hand over Lilith's mouth so the pup could say no more. "Setg'in, retrieve your mask. I will see who deserved what."

Guan waited with Lilith in her arms while her son retrieved his mask. She put it on, and quickly loaded the recording of the Chiva. She sped through the recording until she spotted Lilith in it, then she slowed it down to almost normal speed. She couldn't help but notice the way her son had faltered when Lilith had smiled at him. The expression on the face of the ooman pup who was even now in her arms, was one that was so peaceful, serene, and happy that she'd only seen that look when Lilith had been under the influence of the sleeping draught.

Guan was so pleased to see Lilith happy for once, that she almost missed it when a pair of oomans were peering through a gap in the walls of the Temple. She saw Setg'in's hand as he threw the blade disk at them. The two oomans ducked, leaving Lilith exposed to the deadly attack. She watched with disbelieving eyes as Lilith simply stood there, and the blade disk actually did sheer a small bit of hair from Lilith's head. Guan pulled the mask from her head in annoyance.

"You were both at fault in that instance." Guan snapped. "You Lilith, do not need to be using that gesture. It is not proper for a female to use." She said to the pup in her arms before turning to glare at her youngest son. "And you need to be more aware of what is behind your target! They ducked, but Lilith did not, and that attack could well have killed her… then where would you be?"

"Dishonored." Setg'in muttered inaudibly.

"For some reason, I was unable to hear that answer Setg'in. What was it that you said?" Guan asked in a seemingly sweet tone.

Lilith's eyes bulged as she figured that Scar was about to get in serious trouble over something that didn't really matter anymore.

"I said I would have been dishonored." Setg'in answered bitterly.

"Yes you would, and your two brothers would have paid for your dishonor along with you. One of the things you will really need to work on is observing and being very aware of your surroundings at all times. Just the other day Lilith would have avoided you, and could even have ambushed you had she been of a mind to do so. That is several times that I know of when she has shown that you aren't always aware of what is around you. Be glad Lilith isn't your enemy Setg'in, because she could have killed you several times by now if she were." Guan lectured sternly.

Lilith let out a large breath of relief, because she'd thought that Scar was about to get the kind of beating and punishment that she'd always received in the basement. That was something she didn't want to see. Being forced to live through the experience of the beatings was bad enough, but watching someone else get one, hearing their screams of pain, and knowing how it felt, would have been a lot more than she could handle right then.

Guan easily caught the spike in the scent of fear before hearing a sound that was accompanied by a drastic reduction in the level of fear and stress in Lilith's scent. She realized then, that Lilith had feared that she would somehow harm her own son as a form of punishment. She immediately refocused her attention on the pup in her arms.

"Lilith… I want you to listen to me very carefully… although I'm sure that I'm going to end up repeating this lesson to you often, I am hoping that I won't have to, because you learn it properly the first time." Guan began seriously. She heard the sharp intake of breath, and caught the increase of fear in Lilith's scent, and knew that her statement had gotten the desired effect; Lilith would be now paying close attention to what she said. "Punishments are only used to correct a pup's behavior so that they do not repeat whatever mistake or action requires the punishment. Setg'in is old enough and intelligent enough to understand how to correct his mistakes when I speak to him about it."

Guan rubbed her right hand lightly down the back of Lilith's head as she looked into the ooman pup's eyes. "I'm beginning to suspect that you are just as intelligent as Setg'in. That means I won't need to use physical punishment on you Lilith. Just speaking to you about any mistakes that you might make, should be more than enough to get you to correct your behavior. Physical punishment is always reserved for very serious wrong doing. That is something you haven't done yet, and I will always tell you what it is that you have done wrong before you receive such a punishment, but I will say though, that you will only be warned once; so do not test my tolerance by doing the same thing again; understand?"

Lilith stared at Gwen in disbelief. 'No more spankings? All… all I get is being scolded? A place where they won't beat me anymore?'

"Am… am I really here?" Lilith wondered in a shocked whisper, not realizing that she'd spoken aloud.

"What do you mean?" Guan asked while trying to understand what the pup was meant.

"I mean… did… did I die back on Earth?" Lilith asked suddenly.

"No, you didn't. Setg'in got you to the ship in time to save your life, and Hulij-bpe put his own life at risk to make sure that you didn't die when you stepped off that cliff." Guan answered.

"Actually, Hulij-bpe saved her life twice." Setg'in interjected.

"What? How? … Explain." Guan demanded quickly.

"The first time was when I was trying to get Lilith to the ship; I knew she was bleeding too heavily to survive long enough to make it. The healing serum was too strong for her, and I was at a complete loss as to what to do. Hulij-bpe wished that there was a way to put her blood back inside her where it belonged. I don't even know if he meant to say it aloud or not, but it doesn't matter, because that was what gave me the idea of diluting the serum with Lilith's own blood. I never would have come up with the idea, if Hulij-bpe had remained silent so I could think. The brilliant method that saved her life was actually his idea… I simply put it to use." Setg'in explained readily.

"So… I'm… I'm not dead? I'm… I'm really here, and this isn't some kind of dream or something?" Lilith asked hesitantly.

There was a sharp intake of breath, and Lilith looked over at the source apprehensively. Thingy was standing there looking at her with those deep set gold eyes that all of these Predators had.

"I'll answer that question for you. This is no dream Lilith, because you are really here. This is not the realm of the afterlife, and you are not dead! You will live with us now. Your ooman parents are dead, and they can never harm you again! We are your family now! Guan-kv'var-de who is now my sister, thanks to the Blood Bonding, is your mother now, and she will love and care for you just as she has all three of her sons. Those three Youngbloods, whom you met in the Temple of Passage, are your brothers now, and they will help to guide, teach, and protect you. The honored and honorable Elder Kwei-Vor'mekta has assumed the role of your father, and he will care for you, protect you, and teach you just as he has done for his own sons. My sisters and I are now your aunts, and we will also serve as both protectors, and teachers. You may safely place your fears and worries aside now Little One, because we are here with you, and we will not allow you to endure such dishonor again." Yeyinde said with as much conviction as she could.

"What my elder and my youngest of sisters have said to you Lilith, is something that can not be argued with. If they say that you will be cared for, then that is what will happen whether you wish it or not; whether you like it or not!" Than-guan said seriously.

"Now, before you begin thinking that I'm jesting with you, you would do well to remember the events that occurred at our bathing pool. It's true that you are perfectly capable of drying yourself, but you learned then that we will not accept 'no' as an answer when it comes to something we think you need." Than-guan said with a light smile.

"I know that what we did that day made you angry, and even though we didn't know it then, you had every right to be angry at us. But, that should also tell you that when we think you need something, you will receive it! It will not matter if that something is no more than a simple purr to make you feel more at ease, or facing off against an armed and highly experienced warrior as we did yesterday. Yes, Bakuub and was the first to act in your defense, even at the risk of her life. That Ancient might have killed her, and likely could have, had the rest of us not arrived when we did. I am only telling you this to show you that we have no intention of hurting you. I want you to think about it, and then tell me when any of us have caused you pain." Than-guan continued.

Lilith frowned in both confusion and in concentration as she thought back over everything that had happened while she was with these Predators, and there was only one time that she could recall ever being actually hurt by one of them. "When Scar spanked me in the pyramid." She answered sullenly as she remembered the event.

"Who? … Who do you mean, Lilith?" Than-guan asked in confusion.

"I think… she is referring to me. She must be, because to my knowledge, I've been the only one who has spanked her…" Setg'in began before suddenly holding up his hands to show that he wanted no quarrel from the now advancing female who was obviously angry. "Father has already told me that I am never to do so again… and I completely agree with him!" He added quickly.

"Tell me why you spanked her!" Than-guan demanded in a soft growl as she continued stepping towards the much smaller male.

"First let me say that at the time, I was unaware that she had any injuries, or I would not have punished her in such a way, nor would I have placed her on my shoulder as I did. Either action could have made her injuries worse, and might even have killed her. The reason I spanked her was because she had repeatedly used the ooman gesture of 'Ell'osde-Pauk'…" Setg'in began rapidly.

"I was hitting him and biting him too… and pulling his hair… and trying to scratch him hard enough to tick him off. I figured that since he was going to kill me anyway, I might as well make sure he did it quick." Lilith admitted in nervous apprehension as she interrupted.

Setg'in stepped over and knelt down next to the ooman being held by his mother. "But I didn't kill you… did I? I didn't do it then, and I won't do it now." He told her seriously.

"Whatever happens now is something that only the Gods can know, but I will say that I am going to enjoy having someone in this house who's intelligent enough to use playthings as weapons while hunting tunnel runners. Then there are those strange playthings of yours that are perfect for training. With those, my brothers and I, will make certain that you are able to use a weapon properly." Setg'in told her before he began to smile.

"No one has said it yet, so allow me to be the first to do so…" Setg'in continued in a satisfied tone. "Welcome home… Little Sister."

Lilith gaped at Scar before looking at each of the others. What surprised her even more than what Scar had said was that all of the Predators were smiling at her, and she could see that every one of them fully agreed with what had just been said.

An emotion that Lilith wasn't all that familiar with anymore immediately began to fill her mind, heart, and spirit to the point of bursting. That emotion was hope. Hope that there was actually something other than pain and suffering possible in her life; hope that she could live somewhere with someone would actually care about her; hope that her life would no longer be the kind of living nightmare that had become all too familiar to her. She knew that even dreaming of such things was futile, because she could never be that lucky, but at the same time, she still desperately wanted what she thought was being offered.

"You… you really mean it… don't you? I… I can live here… I can live here, and no one will make me hurt anymore? No one's going to chain me to a wall and make me be cold and hungry all the time? No one is going to make me cut my arms or burn my legs so they can laugh at the blood or beat me for making a sound when it hurts?" Lilith asked in a desperate whisper as fresh tears flowed from her blue eyes.

"That is exactly how things are going to be from now on. You won't have to go hungry anymore, and I will make certain there is food that you can access on your own anytime you do get hungry. As for being cold… well you won't have to worry about that unless you enter a meat storage unit. As to the rest… that will not happen." Guan said firmly as she pulled Lilith to her and stood up.

Guan carried Lilith back to the table before she sat down with the pup in her lap. Grabbing the pitcher, she poured some fresh steaming broth into a cup and handed it to Lilith, while at the same time nodding to Yeyinde who quickly prepared a bowl of s'pke.

"We need you to eat this Lilith. You haven't eaten anything yet, and the morning meal will not be finished until everyone in the family has eaten… and that includes you." Yeyinde instructed as she put the bowl of S'pke in front of her newly Blood Bonded sister and niece.

Lilith looked up at Thingy with confusion written all over her face. 'What is it with these Predators? Why do they keep saying that I'm a part of their family now? When did that happen?'

"Why do you keep saying that I'm a part of this family? I'm not even… I'm just… I…" Lilith broke off in a state of confusion because she wasn't sure how to voice what was on her mind.

"Do you not know what the Blood Bonding ceremony means?" Guan asked in confusion.

When Lilith shook her head, Guan felt her heart sink, and she saw dismayed expressions on the faces of her family members who were present. "Yesterday, when you cut your hand; we then cut ours in the same place. The significant aspect of that cut was that it was your left hand. The blood that flows though the veins in that hand comes directly from the heart and returns directly to the heart. Each of us placed our blood in the bowl with yours, and I mixed that blood before it was placed back in the open wounds prior to having those wounds sealed. It means that our blood now flows in your veins… just as your blood now flows in ours. You are now a part of each of us, just as we are now a part of you…" Guan began carefully.

"And all of us are now a part of each other. It means that even though me and my two sisters have different parents from both Guan and Kwei, they are now our brother and sister, because they are a part of us now. We believe that sharing our blood in such a way forms a bond that makes us family… whether we are genetically related or not. Even though you are definitely not Yautja, you are now a member of this family. Had any of us not wanted you as a part of our family, then we would have refused to share our blood with you. This was not something that we were forced into doing with you Lilith. We have all shared our blood with you because we want you to be a part of our family, to sit with us during meals, talk with us at night in front of the fire, and… and to laugh and tell jokes with us." Than-guan explained forcefully.

"You aren't in the hands of your ooman parents anymore, Lilith. We have seen the quality of your honor, and we know what you are actually worth… even if you do not!" Than-guan added in a kind tone.

Lilith turned and looked at Gwen. She took in the dark grey skin, the mandibles that pointed inward from the four corners of the Predator's mouth, the dreadlock looking hair, the short spines along the top of Gwen's head, and the deep set golden colored eyes that looked back at her. Before her time in the basement, Lilith would have been convinced that this was the face of a very frightening monster, but now, things were different. She knew that monsters could be anywhere… or anyone! Her own parents had been monsters… monsters that had made her hurt, suffer, and experience pain like she had never dreamed possible; they had been the kind of monsters that still gave her nightmares… but Gwen had never done any of those things.

When she really, really thought about it, Lilith knew that Gwen had every right to make her scream in pain… especially after what she'd done to the Predator woman. She knew that she'd ended up attacking the Predator and dislocating one of those weird mandible things on her face. Now… now Gwen was telling her that she'd even given Lilith a new family, and a new home.

'How can she be doing this for me? Even after yesterday…' Lilith's internal questions came to an abrupt halt when she realized that Gwen hadn't done any of this until after learning the whole truth about her!

"You… you knew! You knew, and… and you… you still made me part of your family?" Lilith demanded in a panicked whisper of disbelief.

"Yes Lilith, I did." Guan answered calmly while looking directly into Lilith's eyes. Then, she began speaking again as soon as she saw the questioning look on the pup's face. "I have given you my family, because you have earned it. I made my decision to claim you as my Blood Bonded daughter even while you were being forced to relive the torment you have been through. But I chose to give you my home long before that. That decision was one I made on that very first day, even before we took you to the bathing pool to get you cleaned up. Ask any of my sisters what it was I said about you after I learned about some of the injuries you had suffered."

Lilith glanced from Gwen's face to Thingy, and Thing-two, and both were smiling at her.

"I think the exact words were… 'I'm keeping her.' I even asked what she meant, and she answered me clearly… 'I am going to keep that little ooman pup and raise her as mine. My family and I will show her the honor which has been denied her.' And I fully agree with her on that decision. Welcome to your new home Lilith… my niece." Than-guan said with a smile of her own.

Lilith closed her eyes as emotions she wasn't used to feeling began to overwhelm her in a torrential flood that couldn't be stopped. Within mere heartbeats, her breath was coming in ragged gasps as powerful sobs tore through her chest.

When the little ooman in her lap started sobbing, Guan couldn't identify the cause from Lilith's scent. Not knowing what else to do, she began a strong deep purr that she hoped would be allowed by Lilith this time, since the ooman appeared to need the comfort it could provide. Then, Guan realized that Lilith was so distraught at the moment that she couldn't object to the purring, and that was when she pulled Lilith closer into an actual embrace.

When she felt Gwen's arms around her, part of Lilith knew that this was real. Somehow, Gwen really wanted her, and actually wanted her to be, and more importantly feel safe. Suddenly, Lilith was wrapping her arms around the Predator as she buried her face in Gwen's neck and cried even harder. She was crying in relief, because she knew that she wouldn't have to worry anymore that someone would learn her secret. Because she didn't need to be scared that she would be made to suffer anymore pain because of what she was, and because she was finally free from the torturous existence she'd had in the basement.

When the ooman's crying increased dramatically, while suddenly clinging to her like a lost suckling, Guan quickly sampled Lilith's scent. What she learned was that Lilith was releasing some of the stress, and fear that had built up in her mind and soul over a very long period of time. It wasn't a pleasant thing to know that Lilith needed such release, but she couldn't deny that she was glad she was able to give the little ooman that comfort.

"Just let her continue… for as long as she needs to. The kind of stress and fear that she's been forced to live with is not easily forgotten, or cast aside. I know it isn't enjoyable to see her like this, but she's at least trying to accept what we've told her. She may still be leery and often frightened of us… but I think she'll begin to start trusting us; at least… I hope that's the case." Yeyinde said softly as she watched Lilith cry on Guan's shoulder.

Lilith had no idea how long she'd spent crying on Gwen's shoulder, but she knew that it had been a while. Instead of treating her like a baby, or scolding her for crying like one, Gwen had just held her while the emotions that Lilith had kept bottled up for so long had finally come pouring out. She took a deep shuddering breath as she finally tried to get control of herself, and realized that Gwen had been purring the whole time. She leaned back and opened her eyes. That's when she saw that Gwen's shoulder was soaking wet from her tears. She flushed with embarrassment and shame as she also noticed that Gwen still hadn't put any clothes on, because she knew that Gwen hadn't been able to get dressed while holding her.

Guan waited calmly and patiently as Lilith slowly regained some composure. It didn't matter how she looked at it, this situation wasn't easy for any of those involved. She couldn't help but notice when the temperature of Lilith's face increased because of embarrassment, and suddenly, she realized why Lilith would have a problem with any kind of nudity. 'She was kept chained to a wall like an animal. She was kept without any clothing at all for a long period of time, so there isn't any wondering why she wouldn't want to be reminded of being forced to remain naked!'

"I'll take Lilith to my room for a moment to speak with her, and give her a bit of time to calm down." Guan began to tell the others.

"Do not give her any sedatives! Her system needs to be clear of chemicals for at least one full day before attempting the procedure to remove the scars from her back." Than-guan instructed firmly as she interrupted.

"I know, Sister; I know. Getting that done is very important to me. The only scar I want Lilith to have is from the Blood Bonding ceremony yesterday… if it becomes possible that she can take a Chiva, and she gains honorable scars during that trial, then that will be a different matter. Until then, I want her to live scar free, and pain free!" Guan stated firmly.

"Good! We're in agreement then." Than-guan said simply as her sisters nodded their heads in full agreement.

Gwen stood up while holding her, even as she gaped at the other Predators in shock. Lilith just couldn't believe that Thing-one, and Gwen had been ready to start some kind of fight over making sure she wasn't hurting, or going to be hurt. It was a drastic difference from the way her own parents had treated her, and she had a very hard time believing that this wasn't some kind of dream.

As soon as Gwen's bedroom door slid shut. The Predator woman put her down on the bed and stepped back.

"Just relax for a moment while I get dressed. I understand now why you don't like to be without coverings, and why you aren't pleased to see me without them. You should know that if any male tries to do what your ooman father did, I will kill him without hesitating. What he did to you during his last… visit… with you is not going to be tolerated at all! Do you know what 'castration' means?" Guan asked firmly.

Lilith shook her head, because she wasn't at all sure what Gwen was talking about.

"What your ooman father had between his legs… that is what all males have for genitals… and I will slowly rip those off of any male who ever tries to hurt you in that way again. Then, I will leave him to die very painfully from that injury. Now do you understand what I'm talking about?"

Lilith's mouth dropped open as understanding dawned on her. Gwen was talking about the way her father had hurt her between her legs and in her butt. 'She wouldn't really do that… would she?' Lilith wondered in shock.

"I'm not joking or exaggerating about this Lilith. All Yautja females will feel the same way if they ever learn about what your ooman father did to you. Not only would they feel the same as I do, but they would demand to know where he could be found so that they could castrate him before leaving him to die as a result of it. The only time that you will be allowed to be naked, is when you are either alone, or in a strictly female presence. You are living among us now, and you will be treated with the same level of respect and honor that we treat our own female pups with. That means that when you finally do have your first breeding cycle, that I and my sisters will make sure that you are never left alone with any males! This is not meant to be any kind of punishment, but something that we do for our own female pups so that what your father did to you, does not happen to them, and will not happen to you again." Guan said as she retrieved a set of clothing from a drawer.

"You're talking about when he hurt me between my legs… right?" Lilith asked uncertainly. She had sometimes seen her parents having sex before she'd been put in the basement, and many times afterward when they had finished beating her, but she didn't really know anything about it, and she didn't know anything about rape except that it was something very bad. All she really knew about sex was that while her mother and father had seemed to enjoy doing that stuff, and that it had only hurt her in ways she didn't like to remember.

"Yes, Lilith, I am. I think you are far too young to learn the intended purpose of such things, so I'll wait until you begin your breeding cycle before I tell you about all of that. As I understand it from Than-guan, you are overdue for your first breeding cycle, so it shouldn't be long before the proper nourishment you're getting allows your body to develop enough for that to happen. Later, I'll explain everything about that. Right now is not the time, though." Guan said firmly as she donned all but her breast halter.

"Right now, you need time to learn that you are safe here, that you will not be harmed, and that you will now be treated as one who was born to my family… as if I had been the one to give birth to you." Guan said softly as she finished getting dressed.

Guan knelt down in front of Lilith and took the ooman's head in her hands to look the pup straight in the eyes. "I don't expect this to happen anytime soon Lilith, but I hope that one day I will have earned your trust. I hope that I will earn your friendship, and I can only pray to the Gods that one day I will eventually gain your love. You are my daughter now Lilith, bonded to me by the blood we now share, and that is something that will never change!"

The flood of conflicting emotions that Lilith was experiencing at that moment had her so choked up that she couldn't speak. It was the first time in many years that she actually wanted to speak, but found that she couldn't. She settled for lunging forward to give Gwen a heartfelt hug as her body shook from strength of the emotions she felt.

Guan knew from the response that Lilith wanted to accept what was being freely offered and given to her, but she was also enough of a realist to know that it would take time for Lilith to accept her new life. She pulled Lilith closer to her as she stood up and went back to sit at the table. She placed Lilith in the elevated chair to her left, and pulled the bowl of food along with the cup of broth back in front of the little female, before pouring herself a cup of broth as well.

Lilith took a deep shuddering breath as she tried to steady herself. This morning had started out much like the others she'd spent here, but today was different. So much had happened, and all of it was sudden and unexpected. These Predators were telling her that she was safe, and that no one would make her hurt anymore, and she really wanted to believe them.

Then, Lilith recalled some of the things she'd done that should have gotten her in serious trouble while she'd been living with these Predators. There was the stuff she'd done to Gwen. Even if Gwen didn't count getting hit in the face as doing something wrong, Lilith knew and felt otherwise. Sure it was something that happened so fast, Lilith hadn't understood it herself, but that 'Texas Titty Twister' that she'd used on Gwen was another matter entirely. She had done that out of pure spite and anger because she wanted to do things for herself. Okay so the other Predators had held her while Gwen dried her off. That wasn't a punishment; that was only what she deserved for acting like a spoiled little brat. Gwen didn't even yell at her or scold her for it. She'd only said not to do it again. She hadn't gotten spanked for taking something that didn't belong to her. Then, she realized that she hadn't actually gotten scolded for that either. Instead, Guan had simply explained to her that she was never to touch any weapons or armor that didn't belong to her without permission.

Thinking about that incident, made her see that she hadn't even gotten scolded for fighting at the table. Gwen told her one time, and then repeated it to make sure she understood, but other than that, there was no scolding, no spanking, and no beating. Then, she felt a flood of shame as she remembered that even as hurt as she was, Gwen had actually scolded Old Bruce to make sure that she wasn't punished for hitting Gwen in the face! None of that probably even mattered next to the fact that not only had she taken Gwen's knife, but had stabbed someone with it! Lilith knew that she deserved to be in serious trouble for many of the things that she'd done and there was no two ways about it.

'Then, there's last night. Even after she learned the truth about me, she still treated me nice and… and even made me a part of her family. She… she wants me to be friends with her… she even wants me to love her!' Lilith thought in confusion.

Lilith raised the cup to her lips and was slowly drinking it while watching all of the Predators surreptitiously. She saw that several of them were watching her as well. It was something that really made her nervous. Were they waiting for her to let her guard down… or did they really mean what had been said? Lilith wasn't too sure of the answer to that, and she dreaded finding out the hard way.

"Lilith, I noticed that you never answered Setg'in's question… so I will ask now… does your back still cause you pain?" Kwei asked in concern.

Lilith shot a worried glance at the Predator sitting at the far end of the table, before turning her focus back to her cup of broth. It was only when she thought about it that she became aware of the constant burning ache in her back. She didn't really want to answer the question, because it would only show that there was something else wrong with her. It was something that made her feel as if she were somehow… broken.

"Pauk!" Than-guan exclaimed in an angry shout as she suddenly stood up from the table.

Than-guan glared at the walls, then the ceiling, and finally leaned on the table while she wanted to curse the very Gods themselves. She hung her head while still standing and released a long breath with a soft growl of frustration. Finally she lifted her head just a bit and looked over at her ooman niece.

"Lilith… staying silent as you are… isn't the same as trying to tell a lie, but when one of us wants to know if you are in pain, then you need to tell us. You need to tell us where it hurts and how bad the pain is. You are not on a hunt, and you have no reason to continue to be in pain. I need to know how bad your back hurts, so I'll know if the procedure on your back needs to wait or not." Than-guan said heavily.

Lilith put the cup on the table and stared at it despondently. These Predators had just told her that they actually wanted her in spite of how much of a worthless mistake she knew she was, but would they still want her if they knew how much pain she always felt? Would they still accept her, or would they start making her hurt even more?

"Lilith… I need you to answer me. How bad is your back hurting you?" Than-guan demanded in a firm but gentle tone.

"It's not as bad as when I had to burn my legs." Lilith answered softly.

"Does it hurt more than when that tunnel runner clawed you?" Guan asked in concern as a nasty suspicion took hold.

When the ooman hesitated a moment before nodding slowly, Guan looked sharply at her sister Than-guan for some sort of solution.

"I suppose we can try a topical application of pain blocker and see if that works. I can only hope that it does. If it doesn't… Lilith, I'm sorry, but if the topical pain blocker doesn't help, then I'll have to let you remain in pain for a while until your system is clear of chemicals so that I can perform the procedure. That procedure will be dangerous enough as it is, and I don't want any complications caused by other chemicals being in your body." Than-guan said gently.

Lilith nodded her head before cautiously reaching out and pulling the bowl closer to her. Nervous, uncertain, and even scared; Lilith wasn't actually very hungry right then, but there was no way that she was going to pass up on the offer of food. She had gone hungry for far too long, and she knew from painful experience that food wouldn't always be given to her when she was hungry. She picked up the spoon to get some of the strange soup that she knew she'd like. It wasn't the giant mango that she'd come to love more than any thing else, but it was certainly very good. She chewed slowly, nervously, and with a lot of apprehension because she knew that they were all watching her, and she was sure that something was going to happen soon. She could feel it in the pit of her stomach, as a slowly growing churning sensation that told her something bad was going to happen.

Yeyinde watched as Lilith moved like one of questioned and faulty honor awaiting the judgment of a Tribunal. It was a slow process, because every one of the pup's actions were filled with obvious fear and nervousness. She knew that Lilith was in a lot more fear than she usually was, because she could easily smell the difference. She thought she understood why as well, but without talking to Lilith, she couldn't be sure. She knew that the major obstacle that she would need to deal with was going to be one of trust. She needed Lilith to trust at least one of them enough to discuss her fears and feelings, before those fears could be alleviated.

'How am I going to get her to trust one of us, when it's been proven to her that she couldn't even trust her own parents? She's not going to believe that we wouldn't dare do such things to her, because she doesn't trust us. This is … this is insane! We can't begin to earn her trust until we already have enough of her trust to do so.' Yeyinde thought bitterly.

"Lilith… I know you don't trust us, and that is perfectly understandable after what your ooman parents did to you. But I want you to think about something. I want you to think about the Ancient who attacked you yesterday. You weren't willing to accept his apology, until you saw that he would be killed if you didn't. He was going to be killed for the same reason that I would have been killed had you not accepted my apology after I nudged you towards the bathing pool, and you fell in. He deliberately caused harm and injury to a pup. When you saw that Guan was going to execute him, you broke your silence to spare his life. That was a very honorable thing to do Lilith, and I commend you for it. However, once it was proven that he had no justification to question, or even speak to you, and that you are still a pup, his life was forfeit whether you accepted his apology or not." Yeyinde began as she tried to reason with the frightened ooman.

Lilith was listening to every word the Predator said, and when she heard that last part, she looked up at Thingy worriedly. 'They killed him anyway? Even after I said that I'd accept his apology?'

"Why?"

"You must understand that we are not ooman, Lilith. We do not have so many laws that no one person can know all of them. Instead… what we have are simple laws that we live by. If a Yautja intentionally causes a pup harm, or gives them cause to fear for their life, then that Yautja is executed. If a Yautja accidentally causes a pup harm, or gives them cause to fear for their life, then an apology must be given for the offense. It is then up to the pup, or the pup's mother to accept or deny that apology. If denied, the offender is then executed in dishonor. That is what would have happened to me, had you not accepted my apology the day we met. My life has been in your hands, and you have proven your honor, now I would ask that you allow us the same opportunity so that we can show you ours." Yeyinde explained carefully.

"I'm not asking you to place your life at risk." Yeyinde clarified quickly when she saw the wary expression on Lilith's face. "That wouldn't prove anything. No honorable Yautja would be able to stand aside and do nothing, because they would be executed for it."

"Last night, you told me that you thought you would feel safe if you were with me." Guan interrupted quickly. "The only thing that has changed between last night, and this morning, is that now we all know the reason you are so afraid much of the time. I've told you that we can smell your fear. The fact that you are so often afraid, bothers me greatly."

"It bothers all of us! Just a few short days ago… you were defiant and fearless in the presence of the Hard Meat… while my brothers and I were the ones who were afraid. Me and both of my brothers were afraid of them… but you weren't." Setg'in began firmly.

"Only a fool does not fear the Hard Meat during their Chiva!" Kwei exclaimed forcefully.

"A fool… or one who has no fear of death. Lilith faced them without fear! She had no fear of them… and no fear of us! The only time I smelled any fear on her was when she was sleeping… that was because she was reliving her torture at the hands of those accursed Bad Bloods." Setg'in explained firmly.

"How do you know that's what happened?" Yeyinde demanded.

"Because my mask has the translation of the words she screamed in her sleep. She actually begged her father to stop hitting her. She said that she would leave… go away and never return… that she would do anything if he would only stop hitting her." Setg'in answered as he looked over at his aunt.

"Lilith, you had no fear of me or my brothers while we were in the Temple together. You taunted me, tried to anger me, taunted my brothers… our brothers, and fought me so strongly that you gave me more injuries than the Hard Meat did. Then, when we were on the ship, you showed us that even without a weapon, you were not one to be angered lightly. You mocked me, taunted me, tricked me, teased me, and even felled me! I was fully armored, and wearing a full arsenal of weapons, and you placed me on the floor in a groaning heap with a single unarmed strike! You did not fear us then… so why should you fear us now; when we are claiming you as a member of our family?" Setg'in said earnestly.

"I want to see the fearless warrior who readily mocked, and taunted those who were armed, when she was not. I want to see the cunning little warrior who proved to be a dangerous and deadly scourge to all tunnel runners everywhere. I want to see you be as fearless as you were when you attacked a Hard Meat with nothing more than an excuse for a blade… and a courage that I have rarely seen from an Elder. That is what I want Lilith… it's what we all want." Setg'in told her.

"Those who made you suffer as you did are dead, and they can never harm you again. Your almost constant fear bothers us. We don't want to see you so afraid all the time…" Setg'in stated.

Suddenly Lilith felt herself being jerked out of her chair from behind. She tried desperately to fight against whoever had grabbed her, but it was no use. Her arms were pinned against her body as her captor sat down in the chair next to the one she'd been snatched from.

"I'm sorry Lilith. I'm sorry that I wasn't there to protect you. I should have been there to stop them." Hulij-bpe exclaimed in a choked voice.

"You weren't even Blooded! None of us even knew what was happening to her, so there is no way that we could stop or even prevent something we knew nothing about." Setg'in argued quickly.

"Well someone should have been there!" Hulij-bpe bellowed in a near deafening roar as he glared angrily at his brother.

"Lilith is my sister now, and I will make sure that I am there to protect her. I don't know why someone didn't stop what they did to her, but I know that I will never let it happen again! They… they even hurt her so much and so many times that they made it so she won't even talk to us now!" Hulij-bpe roared at his brother angrily.

Hulij-bpe turned his attention to the struggling female that he was holding firmly against him in a powerful embrace. "I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed them to stop hurting you. I won't let that happen to you ever again, Lilith. You don't have to worry anymore, because I'm here to protect you now." Hulij-bpe choked out in a near sob.

Lilith hadn't stopped struggling since Celtic had grabbed her, and she finally had just enough room to shove her left elbow back a couple of inches to jab the large Predator in the solar plexus. It wasn't much, and the move didn't have any real power behind it, but it did cause Celtic to loosen his grip just a touch. As soon as she felt a bit more slack, she repeated her jab, and this time she was able to put more force behind it. It still didn't knock the wind out of him, but it did give her room to breathe.

"You're squishing me! I can't breathe. I'll sit here as long as you want… just stop squishing me!" Lilith protested breathlessly.

"Sorry." Hulij-bpe said plaintively as he loosened his hold on his little sister.

"Yeah, you said that already. How bout trying to say something different now." Lilith snapped irritably.

"Oh…" Hulij-bpe muttered as his mind raced for something else to say. Then he snapped his right hand out and pulled the partial bowl of food over so that the ooman pup in his arms could reach it, and then did the same with the cup of broth. "Um… eat your morning meal?" He finished hesitantly.

"Ha! Now that is proof that you belong in this family! I was certain that Hulij-bpe would have needed to be sedated to stop his ranting and calm down." Than-guan-thwei said with a laugh. "But you just achieved the same result with only a few words. Well done, Lilith. Very well done! I know how single minded Hulij-bpe is, and once he's set his mind on something it's very hard to get him to think about anything else."

"It's a good thing she did, Sister, because Hulij-bpe already dosed himself with a sedative a short while ago. Administering another dose would be dangerous to him, so I'm glad Lilith was able to distract him so quickly." Than-guan chimed in.

"Listen to me Lilith, because this is important for you to know. Your brother is very different. He's very large, and very strong for a male; in fact his size and strength are nearly equal to that of a female. The problem he has, lies in his mind. I'm not exactly sure what happened, but Hulij-bpe has the single mindedness of a young pup. Once he's focused on something that makes him angry, there is almost no way of calming him down. The best method of dealing with his anger is to distract him with something else. You did that very effectively just now, and I thank you for it." Than-guan said sincerely.

"There are many who would say that Hulij-bpe is a primitive throw back, who thinks more by instinct than he does by intellect. I'm sorry to say that there is more fact to that claim than I would like. My son isn't a slow thinker, because at times he thinks surprisingly fast, but he does have a somewhat limited intelligence that hinders him in what he can learn. Since you will be sharing a home with him, this is something you need to know, so you'll understand how to deal with him. Hulij-bpe will admit that he isn't one of the smartest warriors in existence, but he is one of the most loyal companions that you'll ever meet. Given what's been done to you, I think it might be very difficult to keep him away from your side without a very good reason if you venture out." Guan told her gently.

"Hulij-bpe, there is something that you need to understand and keep firmly in mind when dealing with your sister. Lilith and Bakuub have a very unusual and very strange relationship." Guan began seriously as she looked up at her son.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Hulij-bpe asked quickly as he looked up at his mother.

"What I mean, is that Bakuub has a trust in Lilith that I've never seen or even heard of before." Guan explained slowly as she thought about how she should say it.

"What mother means, is that Bakuub trusts Lilith enough to allow Lilith to get beneath her stomach at will. Lilith will readily use that position as a form of cover and protection, and believe me, Bakuub doesn't care who it is; when Lilith is beneath her, do not try to approach them! Just a short while ago, Bakuub knocked mother down in order to protect Lilith who was terrified at the time." Setg'in interrupted firmly.

"Why would Bakuub attack mother; and why was Lilith scared? Why don't you tell me that part?" Hulij-bpe demanded as he began getting angry all over again.

"Lilith was frightened, because she believes that we might be dishonorable enough to do some of the things her ooman parents did to her." Setg'in began before banging his fist on the table to gain his brother's attention who was now shooting a very dark look at the pup in his lap.

"We've had to explain some things to her, and I think she understands what will happen to anyone who even tries to do such things. But knowing isn't the same as believing, now is it? We will most likely have to show Lilith the depth of our honor before she'll be convinced that she's safe here. Don't ask me how we're supposed to do that, because I have no idea. What I do know, is that Bakuub will defend and protect Lilith from anyone who presents themselves as a threat. That even includes mother, so you can bet anything you like, that Bakuub won't hesitate to attack you if she thinks Lilith is being threatened…" Setg'in continued.

"But Bakuub has always been fond of me. Are you saying she likes Lilith even more?" Hulij-bpe asked in a confused tone.

"I think it's very possible that she does. I saw for myself, that Bakuub knocked your mother away from Lilith, and pinned the pup to the floor by crouching on top of Lilith while growling at all of us. Lilith had no problems getting out from under the Yaut Hound either, so that should tell you just how strongly Bakuub feels about her." Kwei answered softly, but sternly at the same time.

"Good! That means that between me and Bakuub, one of us can always be with her to make sure she's safe!" Hulij-bpe exclaimed fiercely.

"Tell me Hulij-bpe… what will you do if Lilith doesn't want to be constantly guarded?" Guan asked noting the stiffness of Lilith's posture in her son's lap.

"What do you mean? Why wouldn't she want someone around who makes sure she's safe? If we visit another world, she'll need me and Bakuub around." Hulij-bpe asked in confusion.

"It's not that simple, brother. The problem is; I don't think Lilith believes that she can trust us. Proving that we are worthy of her trust, or that we deserve it is going to be difficult." Setg'in explained.

"Why wouldn't she trust us? We aren't the ones who were killing her, and there's no way that any of us would ever let such things happen to her again!" Hulij-bpe declared in a hurt tone.

"I know that son. The reason she may never trust us, is because it was her own ooman parents who treated her with such horrible dishonor. They committed those atrocities against her for a very long time, and if her own parents would treat her in such a way, and put her through such miserable suffering, then she has no reason to believe that others wouldn't do the same." Guan stated bitterly.

"I will be in my room for a while. There's something I need to do." Nihkou'te said quietly as he left the table.

Suddenly Setg'in's mandibles spread in a grin as he recalled how he had proven that he trusted the pup sitting in his brother's lap. 'That just might work with a little modification.' He thought with a smile as he stood up to head for his room. "I'll return in a moment. I need to get something."

Guan glanced at both her oldest and youngest sons as the left the table. While her eldest appeared to be deep in troubled thought, Setg'in was actually smiling about something. She looked over to her Lifemate as he continued.

"Because of what was done to her, it's very possible that Lilith will never trust anyone again." Kwei finished heavily.

"But… but that wasn't us… we never did anything like that to her… we wouldn't! Not even the Hard Meat are treated in such a way!" Hulij-bpe protested brokenly.

"You'll get no argument on that, but proving that to Lilith is something that I just don't know how to do." Yeyinde agreed.

"I think I know of a way." Setg'in said as he re-entered the room quickly, and walked over to his brother's side.

Setg'in reached out and lifted Lilith from his brother's lap, and stepped over to a wall before placing her on her feet. Then he squatted down next to the wall in front of her and pulled his plasma caster from behind his back where he'd shoved it into his belt. Pointing the butt end towards Lilith, he reached out and placed her right hand on the firing stud. Then he put the muzzle of the plasma caster against his own throat and held it there.

"Now Lilith. You and I both know that I've shown you how to fire this weapon. A single press of your finger, not even very much pressure, and a plasma bolt will cleave through my neck. I'll be dead before my headless body even begins to fall to the floor. I've shown that I know you can be trusted, but that isn't the question right now is it?" Setg'in asked with a grin.

"No… it isn't. The question in your mind right now is whether or not you can trust us! I am telling you that you can… in fact… I will stake my life… and my honor on it." Setg'in said seriously as he stared straight into Lilith's eyes.

There were several exclamations and demands to know what Setg'in thought he was doing, but he ignored them all as he focused his attention on the small ooman in front of him.

"Lilith, I am positive that no one here would ever cause you the kind of pain that your ooman parents gave you. You are now in a position to kill me with my own weapon. For a Yautja Warrior, there is no greater disgrace or dishonor than to be killed by one's own weapon. For that death to occur at the hands of a mere pup would be even more disgraceful, and dishonorable. My name would be cursed for all time, and I would be held in such a state of dishonorable disgrace that no one would ever be given the name of Setg'in ever again. So not only am I putting my life in your hands, but I am placing my honor in your hands as well… but it's not just my honor that would be affected; my family… our family… would also suffer the disgrace of having raised such a complete failure of a Warrior. It would completely ruin them! They would be left with no choice but to end their own lives, because no one would have anything to do with them. No one would ever sell them food or anything else they need." Setg'in said seriously as he looked Lilith in the eyes.

Setg'in took a deep breath as he braced himself for what he was about to say, because while he knew that Lilith could be trusted, everything would now depend on whether or not she could learn to trust them! "I want you to think about this very carefully Lilith; because this is not something many would think of. I am so sure of their honor, that I am staking my life on that honor. So, if you believe that anyone here, and I do mean any one, would even think of doing something to hurt you, then I want you to kill me. If you think that any member of this family can not be trusted, then I want you to press that firing stud, and kill me."


	22. Understanding

Lilith looked into the rich golden yellow eyes of the Predator in front of her, and wondered how Scar could do something like this. 'Why would he do this? Why is he telling me to kill him just because I don't think I can trust one of…? Wait! He's telling me to kill him even if there's only one of them that I don't think I can trust!'

Lilith was so surprised that she was stunned into immobility. She couldn't have pressed the firing stud if her life depended on it, as she realized the full extent of what Scar was telling her. It took her a moment to recover from the shock, and when she did, she glanced around at each of the others.

That was when Lilith's mouth fell open. 'None of them are worried! All I have to do is twitch my finger and Scar would be dead before he hits the ground, and they aren't even worried! Why?'

Once again, Lilith was in a stunned state of shock as she gaped at the Predators who were now standing around the table looking back at her. The 'Thing Sisters' as she thought of them all had their arms crossed over their chests, and were simply watching her, while Gwen and Old Bruce had their heads tilted and were watching her curiously. Celtic was staring at Scar in total confusion, and it was pretty clear that he didn't know what to say.

"They aren't even asking me not to kill him! Wait… if I kill him, then… they'll have to kill themselves… won't they? That means I'd actually end up killing all eight of them with one shot! Why aren't they trying to stop me or something?' Lilith wondered in shock.

"Why… why aren't any of you saying anything?" Lilith asked in a soft whisper.

"What more can we say to you now, that we haven't already told you? Setg'in knows our honor, just as we know his. If he actually thought that any of us might even be willing to do such things to you, then he wouldn't be doing this." Yeyinde said calmly.

Lilith gaped at Scar for a moment in disbelief. 'She… she's right! She has to be! There's no way he would do something like this unless he knows they won't hurt me like my parents did.'

Lilith let go of the space gun and slowly sidled a few steps away before turning and literally bolting for her room. Even as she reached the door, Slobber was right there by her side. As soon as she and the big beast were inside, Lilith let the door slide closed, before going over to sit in her bed hole with Slobber lying down beside her. Lilith leaned against the neck of the huge beast and idly scratched at the Yaut Hound's ears while her mind kept running in confused circles.

"I don't know how you came up with the idea for that Setg'in, but if anything is going to make an impression on her, then that just might do it. Thank you for trying, I don't know that it will have any immediate effect, but it will make her question things, and for now, that's all we can ask." Yeyinde said as she placed a hand on the Youngblood's shoulder.

"I know she needs time to think her situation through, but I don't want her in pain while she does. We need to apply a topical coating of pain blocker on her back to see if it will work. If she wants to be left alone afterwards, then that's fine, but she does not need to continue suffering any more." Than-guan said firmly.

"I agree sister. We are not Bad Bloods who would torment a pup and whether anyone cares to admit it or not, by leaving Lilith in pain, we become no different from those who caused her to have that pain." Guan said in a near growl.

"You're right, Guan." Kwei stated heavily. "I think the four of you should go and tend to her."

Guan looked at her Lifemate curiously. "And just what use would I be in this situation? I am no renowned healer with knowledge of how to treat such injuries."

"No… you aren't." Setg'in admitted wryly as he spoke up. "You are actually something better. You are now her mother! Whether she knows it or not, whether you know it or not, right now Lilith needs her mother! She needs the type of mother that she didn't have among her own kind; the type of mother who will treat her honorably. She needs you!"

"Setg'in is right, Guan. Though she may want and probably even need time to herself to figure things out, she needs to know that you want to help her, that you are here for her whenever she is ready to accept the help you offer. I know that merely being willing to listen, or simply give her your presence, doesn't seem like all that much, but it will show her that she is not alone; that she has a family who will help her, when she is ready for that help." Yeyinde said quickly.

"Okay, maybe you're right, I don't know. But how do we even know if this is going to work out? Do you think Lilith will ever be a full participant in this family?" Guan asked uncertainly.

"All I can tell you my friend, is that I really don't know at this point. Almost everything is up to Lilith now. The question is… is she strong enough, and does she have the mental strength needed for her to overcome several years of brutal torment from those who betrayed both her trust, and her love; a betrayal committed by those she had absolutely no reason to disbelieve?" Yeyinde replied heavily.

All three males and the other three female Yautja looked at Yeyinde with various expressions of horror on their faces. Yeyinde drew in a deep breath, and exhaled sharply as she tried to gather her racing thoughts.

"You should understand one thing here, because it's very important. There has never been a case like Lilith's in our history. That is why my mask has been set to constantly record everything even though I'm not wearing it. As far as anyone knows, we've never had the kind of Bad Bloods who would even be willing to do such things to a pup. That's not to say that it hasn't been discussed, because it has… just not to the extent that Lilith has suffered… but so far, we have only theories to go on." Yeyinde said bitterly.

"I hate to admit this, and I hate that she's had to endure such things, but what happened to her, and what she feels now… validates everything that I was taught. Everything she is going through and everything that she already has gone through, from the fear, and the nightmares, to the trust that she no longer has in others is something that we never really believed could or would actually exist. We have hundreds of thousands of years of experience and history in our knowledge of healing… but we have never heard of anyone who was treated as horribly as she has been. There isn't any case that I know of, where even the worst of our Bad Bloods have ever done such a thing. I will admit that there have been those that would, and have killed a pup, but never has a Bad Blood simply tortured a pup. There was always a reason behind the Bad Blood's actions; whether it was an attempt to gain a reputation so dire that no Arbitrator would try to come after them, or simply to seek revenge against one of the parents, there was still some kind of reason for them to act as they did. Lilith on the other hand…" Yeyinde said before breaking off heavily.

"Not even revenge could provide a reason for doing what they did to her! That was… that was even crazier than Hulij-bpe has ever been. They… they even took… pleasure from putting her in agony!" Setg'in snarled angrily.

"I know Setg'in. That's why I'm recording everything, because any methods or techniques that help, and even those that don't will all be examined closely." Yeyinde replied.

"I will not have Lilith turned into, or used as an experiment!" Guan hissed in mounting anger.

Yeyinde quickly threw her hands up in defense. "I know! I have no intention of doing that to her. I am simply recording this because what has been done to Lilith is far beyond our actual knowledge and experience. I know that each individual is different, and what helps Lilith, may do the exact opposite for another, but if there is anything that does help her then I need to know what it is, so that similar techniques and methods can be used as well."

"I know that Lilith is not an experiment, and that she never will be! I want to help her as much as you do. This is exactly what I have trained for, but never would I have expected to encounter something like what has been done to her!" Yeyinde said fervently before she rubbed her hands across her face while trying desperately to gather her jumbled thoughts.

"Guan… you must understand, that there is no certainty here. Never before has any healer encountered a victim who has suffered even a tenth of what Lilith has endured. Then, when you consider that she escaped on her own, instead of being rescued by Arbitrators as most victims who survive are, you will see that she is completely unique. There are no known methods to help her after such trauma, because, no victim has ever endured more than a small fraction of what she has, and survived to speak of it." Yeyinde explained in a rush.

Guan stared despondently at the female who was now the youngest of her three sisters as she realized one cold and brutal fact. "That means the trail is lost to us… isn't it?"

"Not quite." Yeyinde admitted with a small amount of relief when she realized that Guan was willing to hear her out. "Not quite. I haven't assisted Arbitrators in helping a Bad Blood's victim to recover, but I do have the training, and expertise that can help. I am simply trying to make you understand that this is fresh ground. We are now on the hunt for the Lilith that we both know resides somewhere within that pup in the other room, but this is a new and unknown trail, and we can't try to guess what turns it might take. We will just have to follow it carefully. Lilith's past experience has made her wary, and unwilling, or perhaps even unable to trust us. We do have one advantage though. She does trust Bakuub, and that is something we might have to use often. We need to do things that will cause her to spend a lot of time around, near, and with that Yaut Hound. The more time she spends with us while feeling safe from harm, the more she will begin to feel safe around us. Those Bad Bloods spent several years breaking and destroying every shred of trust she has, so we can't expect her to regain that trust in a few short days." Yeyinde said as she looked Guan in the eyes.

"I'm sorry Sister. This can not be accomplished swiftly, or easily." Yeyinde whispered as she bowed her head with her eyes closed.

"The Path of Honor is not always an easy one to walk. There are often many times when it is heavily obscured, and that is when it becomes easy to stray from the Path of Honor. Now is one of those times when it has become difficult to walk that path. A Warrior of Honor and courage does not falter when the Path of Honor is blocked. A Warrior… finds a way with Honor!" Setg'in intoned forcefully.

"Well said my son… very well said!" Kwei commended heartily. "A Warrior's Honor can always be questioned, but only those who actually walk the Path of Honor have no concern with their honor being under such scrutiny. If Lilith doubts our honor, then she will have to keep doubting it, and continue to question that honor."

Kwei broke off, and a smile graced his old features as he resumed speaking. "Because every time Lilith does question our honor, she will find that it is firm, unyielding, and solid enough to last for all time. No matter how much doubt she has within her, she can not help but see what is in front of her at all times. She will have no choice but to accept that which will never bend or break. We will continue as we have been, and we will seek to include Lilith as much as she is willing to be included in things. By doing so, we are showing her that our honor is unwavering."

"I think you might be right Kwei. It's clear that Lilith doesn't want pity, and so far, I think she's seen too much of that from all of us. She needs to realize that her own honor is still intact, because until she learns that, she may not be able to recognize the honor of others." Yeyinde agreed.

"Good. Now that we have some idea of how to proceed with Lilith in the future, we can go and try to relieve some of the pain she's in." Than-guan insisted.

Lilith was reclining against Slobber's neck as she and the big beast lay in her 'bed hole' as she called it. She had her right arm draped over the beast's neck and was scratching the base of the ears when she heard a knock on the door of her room, before it slid open.

Lilith looked up as the four Predator women entered her room. She felt Slobber raise her head, and glanced at the big beast when she simply lay back down after seeing who it was. Lilith looked carefully at each of the women as they entered, so she could try to see if any of them were angry with her. She saw Gwen holding the mask that she'd polished the first night she was here, but then she saw what was in Thing-one's hands, and her eyes shot wide in horror.

'Oh shit! Oh no! Not no… but hell no! There's no way in hell she's sticking me with that thing!' Lilith thought desperately as she flung herself across Slobber's neck and head to get on the other side of the beast. Lilith knew that Slobber wasn't happy with that move at all, because of the way the big beast snapped and growled at her. Lilith couldn't have cared less, because all of her attention was focused on that gigantic needle in Thing-one's hand.

The scent of fresh fear was unmistakable to Guan as she walked further into the room. She could see Lilith watching all of them frantically, but that she was keeping a really sharp watch on Than-guan as she moved to keep Bakuub in front of her. The apprehension in the ooman was very clear, as was the focus of her attention.

"Lilith, this has to stop. You have to stop being afraid of us, because we are not going to hurt you." Guan said in exasperation.

"Yeah well… you're not sticking me with that thing either! Not no way, not no how! Not gonna happen! You'll have to catch me and hold me down first!" Lilith shot back loudly while pointing at the injector in Thing-one's hand.

After Than-guan glanced down at the injector in her hand, she saw Lilith start to push and shove desperately on Bakuub who merely looked at the ooman before laying her head back down. Then, Lilith was climbing between the large spikes on top of the Yaut Hound's back.

Than-guan huffed in an amused mix of irritation and exasperation as she watched the ooman pup wedge herself in between the spikes and wrap her legs around two of them in an attempt to gain some type of protection.

Guan tilted her head in sheer curiosity as she watched what Lilith was doing.

"I've already told you Lilith, I need you to be free of chemicals before the procedure to replace the skin on your back can happen. If I were to inject you with this, then I wouldn't be able to do that tomorrow. The serum in this injector will be rubbed on the skin of your back, and I'm hopeful that it will ease the pain enough for you to be comfortable." Than-guan said without moving.

"You're not going to stick me with that?" Lilith asked doubtfully.

"No… I'm not. And if I did plan to inject you with this serum, I could easily do so while you are wedged between Bakuub's spikes like that. I would advise against using that position as a possible shelter in the future." Than-guan quipped with a wry grin.

"Well, I couldn't get her to stand up, or I'd have crawled underneath her." Lilith muttered grumpily.

"Setg'in stated a fact then? You are able to get beneath her at will?" Guan asked in concerned surprise.

Lilith nodded her head as she began getting herself out from between the spikes on Slobber's back. "She likes it when I scratch and rub her belly."

"I'm glad to know that you have such a refuge Lilith. A crouching Yaut Hound is well known to be one of the most dangerous things native to our world. There are very, very few individuals who are skilled enough that they are willing to face a Yaut Hound without the assistance of another. Kwei and I worked very hard to teach Bakuub to defend herself against all manner of weapons, because I wanted her to accompany me on my assignments, but now it seems that she'll be able to use that training to defend you against anything or anyone who might wish you harm." Guan said in relief.

"Lilith, I'll need you to remove your upper covering so this serum can be spread on your back." Than-guan said as she changed the subject.

"What are you talking about? What do you mean 'upper covering'?" Lilith asked in confusion.

Than-guan cocked her had to the right and stared at Lilith for a moment. "Do you not realize that you are wearing a covering on your chest?" She asked in confusion.

Lilith looked down at her chest trying to figure out what the Predator woman was talking about before it dawned on her. "Oh! You mean my shirt… okay."

"Yes, your 'shirt' if that's what you call it. I need you to remove it, so this serum can be spread on your back." Than-guan replied while trying to contain her irritation over Lilith's stubbornness.

"Just make sure you don't stick me with that telephone pole you call a needle. That thing looks like it'll hurt a lot more than my back does!" Lilith said sourly as she pulled her shirt off.

All four of the females looked at each other in surprise. Then, they were all looking at the injector curiously.

"I hadn't thought about it before, but given how thin ooman skin is, and how fragile their bodies are, an injector just might be painful to them." Than-guan-thwei muttered after thinking about it.

"That would explain her struggles when she was being examined at your home." Guan mused aloud.

"That's something I'll keep in mind if Lilith is ever injured in the future, but for now… it's time to find out if a topical coating will relieve her pain." Than-guan finished firmly as she moved behind Lilith. "Hold still, Little One, because this might be cold at first."

Lilith felt it when Thing-one began spreading the serum on her back. The reduction of pain was almost instantaneous, and the fact that the stuff was only a little cooler than the surrounding air made it feel nice, because it wasn't actually cold like Thing-one had told her it would be. Lilith could tell that Thing-one wasn't being bashful, or stingy with the stuff, because she could feel a lot of it being spread around really fast. Then, even before Thing-one was finished, Lilith sucked in a deep breath, and let it out in relief. For the first time that she could really remember, she wasn't feeling any pain in her back. It actually felt good to be without pain and in a way that left her able to think!

"Lilith…I will not object if you want to wear those coverings, because they are yours, but I would greatly prefer that you wear things which fit you properly." Guan said before the pup could replace her top covering.

Lilith looked down at the shirt that she'd taken from her mother's closet. The back of it had over a dozen rips in it, and the front was still covered in green stains from the blood of the space rats. The once black T-shirt was now a mostly sickly looking green, and because of where she'd gotten it, she really didn't want to ever put it back on.

"I only put these on because I thought you would… that you wouldn't want me here anymore." Lilith whispered hesitantly. "Now that you know the truth about me… I thought you'd be mad if I wore the stuff you paid for."

"Now you know otherwise. If the choice were up to me, I would destroy those coverings that you were wearing simply because of how you had to obtain them, and who they belonged to. If you wish to keep those coverings… I will not object to it, although I don't like the idea of you having them. They are nothing more than evidence of the dishonor that your ooman parents forced upon you. I know that you don't have much that you can wear right now, but Dachande is making more coverings for you. They will all be exactly the same as the first set of coverings that I obtained from him, and they look much better than what you have on." Guan said firmly. "They will fit you better as well." She added wryly.

"At the very least, I want those foot coverings you're wearing to be disposed of immediately. They are not the proper size for your feet, and I don't want you to wear them ever again! I will not have my niece crippled because of improperly sized footwear." Than-guan insisted firmly.

Lilith nodded her head, and sat down to take the boots off. 'The hell with it. If Gwen wants me to wear some of the clothes that she bought me, then I might as well dress in nothing else.' She thought wryly.

Lilith stood up and took the jeans off, before digging through one of the pockets to retrieve her cigarettes, and lighter. As soon as she had them in her hand, both items were immediately snatched away by Gwen who was growling very loudly.

"I don't know what these are supposed to be used for, but I know very well how your ooman parents forced you to use them!" Guan growled in a barely contained rage.

"You are never to harm yourself in such a way again… do you understand me? Never!" Guan continued in a near bellow as she crushed the package of now hated objects in a hand that shook with unbridled rage.

Lilith flinched as she darted over by the Yaut Hound who had raised her head to look at the source of the dangerous growl.

"You are my daughter now! Not theirs! They may have given birth to you and brought you into existence, but I will be the one to raise you now! They are dead, and they can never harm you again. I will not see you endure such suffering again. Do you understand that… never! You will remain here with me and the rest of our family… where you will be raised and taught with honor." Guan said in a near snarl while literally shaking with rage.

Lilith backed further away, while watching Gwen warily. She knew that Gwen was really pissed, and she really didn't want any part of it. She knew that she hadn't used those cigarettes the way her parents had told her to since she'd left the basement, so why was Gwen so mad?

Guan looked at the ooman female who was slowly easing away from her. She had no idea how the small sticks in that container were meant to be used, but it no longer mattered because she'd destroyed them. The other object was different. She knew, from the memories she'd seen of Lilith's, that the thing could create fire, and that was something useful. It was something that could be put to many honorable and respectable uses.

"I will give this back to you. It is yours because it was given to you by your ooman parents… but I do not want you using it to harm yourself or cause any kind of injury to yourself ever again. Is that understood?" Guan demanded while breathing heavily as she fought for self control and held the object out to Lilith.

Lilith nodded her head and cautiously eased forward to take the lighter from Gwen's outstretched hand. She had never wanted to feel pain to begin with. Never had she wanted to harm herself, but after spending so long in the basement, pain, and suffering was almost all she knew. It had gotten to the point that she had needed the pain in order to feel something, because the incredibly bitter, aching loneliness constantly tore at her, and at least when the pain was fresh, she was able to feel something besides that horrible empty heartache. Now things were different. Now she was starting to remember what it was like to not hurt all the time; to actually have fun, and to even have periods of time when she knew she wasn't going to be beaten for reasons she didn't know. She had begun to remember what it was like to feel wanted by someone. Okay, so maybe Slobber counted more as a 'something', instead of a someone, but that was still far better than nothing.

Once she had her lighter back, Lilith moved hesitantly towards the shorts and T-shirt that she'd slept in. The whole time she kept a sharp wary eye on the Predators. When she finally reached the clothes, she started getting dressed, but made sure to watch them closely.

Guan watched in silence as Lilith dressed herself. She was incredibly angry to learn that Lilith still had the objects that she had been forced to use to burn her legs, but she considered that to be no excuse for what she'd just done. Once the ooman pup was dressed, she stepped closer before she got on the floor into a kneeling position, and lowered her head in submission.

Guan knew that her sisters were surprised by her actions, because she could smell it on them, just as she could smell the distinct tang of Lilith's fear. It was a struggle to master her anger right then, but she managed it. She waited until she knew that Lilith was watching her with undivided attention, before she spoke.

"I apologize to you Lilith. On that very first day that you were here, and I brought you back to my home after you were treated by three very skilled healers; I said something to you. I told you that if you were ever afraid of one of us, for any reason, that you could come to this room. I told you then that this room would be yours, and that it would be a place where you could feel safe from harm. I told you that no harm would come to you here, no anger would be directed towards you, and that no voice would be raised against you in here." Guan began seriously.

Guan took a deep breath, and let it out slowly as she thought carefully about what she wanted to say, and how to say it.

"I have broken those rules. I became angry when I saw those things your ooman parents made you use to cause yourself one painful injury after another. My anger caused me to act without properly considering my actions, and I apologize to you for that. My anger has caused you to be afraid, and in my anger, I raised my voice to yell at you. My reasons for doing so are irrelevant. What does matter is what I said to you on that first day." Guan said remorsefully while she stared at the floor.

"It is now for you to decide what the punishment is to be." Guan finished firmly.

"Huh?" Lilith asked in bewilderment. "What are you… what do you mean?"

"What I mean Lilith, is that I have violated a specific set of rules regarding your room. Because this is your room, a place where you are to feel safe at all times… you will need to decide what my punishment is to be." Guan stated firmly without moving from her position on the floor.

Lilith stared at Gwen with a stupid expression on her face. 'I'm supposed to punish her? ... How the hell am I supposed to do that? What does she expect me to do… spank her or something? Like I'd really be able to bend her over my knee!'

"What… what if I don't want to punish you?" Lilith asked hesitantly.

"Then you will need to provide justification for not punishing her." Than-guan informed her bluntly.

"Well she didn't punish me when I deserved it… so…"

"That is not sufficient justification! Anything that occurred in the past is irrelevant. You need to decide on a punishment for her based only on what has occurred now!" Than-guan said somewhat forcefully as she interrupted Lilith.

"But… that's not fair! She's been nice to me, and now I have to do something mean to her? Why?" Lilith protested angrily.

"Because rules have been broken, and a punishment is now deserved. If you can not decide on a proper punishment… then I will!" Yeyinde said in a pleased tone.

Yeyinde saw that everyone in the room was now looking at her curiously, but even so, she did nothing to hide the pleased set to her mandibles. She knew very well that her sisters could smell the tension, along with the stress she felt at that moment, but she knew that Lilith couldn't, and that was who needed to be convinced. She wasn't sure why Guan had decided to make such a demonstration regarding Lilith's room, but she was certainly glad she had! Instead of wondering whether or not she would be hurt or punished, Lilith was now being made to come up with a reason not to punish Guan. It wasn't a perfect solution, but it was one that might force Lilith to realize that she was truly safe with them.

Lilith looked back and forth between Gwen and Thingy several times while her mind raced. She didn't want to do anything to Gwen, because she was really starting to like the Predator. Gwen had done a lot for her in the few days that she'd been living here; new clothes, a room, plenty of food to eat, along with things to do and stuff to play with. She looked down at her arms, and was once again filled with near disbelief at how the scars were completely gone. It was just one more thing that Gwen had done for her. Abruptly, Lilith's eyes shot wide as she realized that she had a way to avoid doing anything to Gwen!

"She doesn't need to be punished." Lilith said softly.

"If she doesn't need to receive any form of punishment, then you will have to tell us why that's the case." Yeyinde said firmly.

"She only yelled at me to make sure that I wouldn't burn my legs like my parents always made me do." Lilith began in a near whisper.

"She didn't want me hurt." Lilith proclaimed louder as she thought about what had happened.

"So you are saying that Guan doesn't deserve punishment because she was trying to protect you. Is that what you're saying?" Yeyinde demanded as she pressed the ooman with a now genuine smile.

Lilith nodded her head hesitantly while she watched Thingy.

"Does that mean you accept her apology as well?" Than-guan asked sternly.

Again, Lilith merely nodded her head, while wondering what was going to happen now.

"Your apology has been accepted, and you are forgiven Guan. There will be no retribution for this action." Than-guan said formally.

Guan nodded her head and stood up. Once she was on her feet, she fixed Lilith with a curious glance while several thoughts raced through her mind. Suddenly, she knew that Lilith really hadn't wanted to administer any kind of punishment at all, and it wasn't hard to understand why when the pup's past was considered. Once she realized that Lilith might try to find a way to avoid giving punishment to everyone who violated what was now her sanctuary, she realized that something would have to be done to prevent that from happening. She looked over at her sisters while deep in thought.

"From now on, anyone who violates the rules of this room, will be subjected to ten strokes of a training staff across their back. That punishment will be administered by the eldest Warrior not being punished." Guan announced firmly.

"Good! That should prevent further violations quite well, since Lilith will no longer have a say as to whether or not someone is punished for breaking the rules regarding her room." Than-guan agreed.

"But… but that's not fair!" Lilith protested in a mere whisper.

"Of course it is!" Guan countered instantly. "I want to ensure that you have somewhere to go that you will feel safe, and be safe from both any type of threat or actual harm. Having a specific consequence stated will mean that those rules will most likely never be violated again. You may argue, and disagree all you like, but the rule has been made, and I will inform the rest of our family about it. There are always consequences for breaking rules or laws. Many times there are laws or rules that one doesn't care to obey, but having a punishment already prescribed usually forces obedience to those rules and laws regardless of whether or not they are agreed with."

"This will simply be another example." Than-guan-thwei stated with a curious tilt to her head.

"It is much like the prohibition against wearing any kind of weapon in to a Temple of The Black Warrior. He is not only a God, but he also the greatest of all Warriors and is more skilled in battle than any mortal could ever hope to be. Yet no weapons are allowed in his Temples. The reason for that is because compared to him; no one deserves the right to bear a weapon of any kind!" Than-guan said carefully. "When you first consider the injunction, it seems to be a foolish one, but once you know the reasoning behind that rule, it makes sense. The same can be said for this room. Guan wants you to feel safe here… we all do. Therefore, in order to make certain of that, the rule regarding a specific punishment has been made."

"Speaking of rules…" Yeyinde said with a smile. "You still haven't finished eating your morning meal, and that means we should all be at the table until you are finished eating."

"I will make an exception to that rule for now if you wish to finish eating in here." Guan offered softly.

Lilith thought about it for a moment before shaking her head. "I'll finish eating at the table, but I want to get some regular clothes on first."

"What do you mean by 'regular clothes'?" Guan asked in confusion.

"Well… I want to save these to sleep in, and just use them for pajamas. That way I can wear those first clothes you got me the rest of the time, and for when I want to look good." Lilith explained as she went over to her closet.

Guan was a little confused by Lilith's statement. She knew that there was a big difference in the way Lilith appeared while wearing the three types of coverings that she had. She felt that the coverings Dachande had made were acceptable because they fit properly, and she could understand why Lilith thought she looked good while wearing them. The coverings Lilith had been wearing when she'd arrived were far too large for her. Then there were the coverings that she'd slept in. Guan couldn't understand why someone would have coverings strictly for sleeping, but Lilith had just made it clear that she wanted it that way.

As Lilith retrieved a set of coverings from her closet, Guan became curious as to what differences the ooman saw in the coverings. That was when she remembered the modification she'd had performed on her training mask. She'd been told that the ooman visual spectrum was essentially worthless because of the amount of memory and sensor resources that it used, which meant that her training mask now had only two modes of vision available. There was the standard enhanced thermal vision which was natural to Yautja eyes, and the ooman spectrum. Guan didn't see this limitation as a problem since it was her training mask, but she hoped that it would let her have a slightly better understanding of the way Lilith saw things.

Guan put the mask on, and switched to the ooman vision mode. Almost instantly, her mouth dropped open as she stared straight ahead at the wall and hanging in front of her. The wall of the room had a color that indicated a moderate amount of warmth, but the hanging was a different story altogether. Filled with every color she'd ever seen, along with many that she hadn't, the hanging appeared to have an impossible temperature variance! She stepped closer, and knowing that it was very fragile and delicate, she brushed the back of her knuckles against it. To her surprise, it was as soft as the most sought after furs available, but completely uniform in warmth.

Guan turned to face her sisters intending to comment on what she saw, when she quickly took a step back from what she saw in front of her. On the one hand, she knew that she was looking at her Blood-bonded sisters, but on the other, she saw three large and very dangerous looking individuals. Never before had she seen a Yautja in such detail! Every spine, every tusk, and every muscle stood out in clear definition. Even though none of them were wearing any armor; all three of them appeared to be incredibly dangerous when viewed as she was now seeing them. Guan looked over at Lilith in a state of shock, and what she saw stunned her into immobility.

Lilith had stripped down so that she was only wearing the under cloth that covered her groin, and was still facing the closet while getting ready to don the rest of her coverings. The result was that Guan could clearly see that horrible mass of twisted scar tissue on Lilith's back. The coating of pain blocking serum was transparent and did absolutely nothing to hide or conceal the countless scars. For the first time, Guan could see each and every one of those dishonorable marks on the pup's back. She had been able to see many of them on previous occasions by using other vision modes of her battle mask, but with the ooman vision mode, she now saw all of them.

In a state of sheer disbelief, Guan stepped over to Lilith and gently grasped the pup's arms to get a better look at what she saw. The unblemished skin of Lilith's arms and legs gave way to a gruesome crisscrossed pattern of scars that appeared to have a different level of heat because of the color. What she now saw on Lilith's back was far more than what she had known or even guessed about. Now she understood exactly why Lilith's back would cause her pain!

Almost as soon as she felt the hands on her arms, Lilith shrugged out of the grip which wasn't very firm, to turn around. She came face to face with Gwen who was leaning over her.

"Lilith… I want you to put this on, and tell me if this is how you see things around you." Guan instructed in a mere whisper as she removed the mask.

Lilith looked at the mask that was being held out to her with serious trepidation. She clearly remembered the last time one of those things had been put on her, and she didn't want to get sick like that again.

"I don't wanna get sick again." Lilith protested as she shook her head. "When Old Bruce put one of those things on me, it made feel like I was gonna puke and pass out."

"This mask isn't able to imprint any knowledge into your mind, so it won't make you feel any different than you do now. I only want to know if this is actually how you see what is around you." Guan said reassuringly.

Lilith was nervous as she placed the mask on her head. She had to hold onto it, because of the size, but there really wasn't much difference in anything that she could see. The only thing that was out of the ordinary, was the weird symbols near the top of her vision, and the strange graph that had a lot of squiggly lines on it at the bottom.

"Everything looks the same… except for all those weird symbols and stuff." Lilith said with a shrug as she handed the mask back.

Guan immediately thrust the mask out to Than-guan. "Look at Lilith's back and tell me what you see."

Than-guan looked at Guan skeptically even as she took the proffered mask. Once she put the mask on and looked at Lilith's back, she understood exactly what Guan was so upset about.

"By the Gods!" Than-guan exclaimed in a horrified whisper. "I… I had no idea that there would be so much damage."

"What? What do you mean?" Yeyinde demanded before her elder sister could ask as well.

"I had my training mask modified so that it's now equipped with the same type of visual settings that Lilith sees. In the 'ooman mode', you can see every last one of those dishonorable scars. Apparently, Lilith sees things differently, and in much greater detail than we do, and with her vision, those scars on her back stand out even more clearly than a set of armor on a Warrior." Guan explained.

"What do you mean; 'I see differently'? What are you talking about?" Lilith demanded curiously.

Than-guan held out the mask to Lilith who promptly took it and held it in place on her head. "I don't see anything different except those weird looking symbols and stuff." Lilith exclaimed grumpily.

"You need to think 'Standard Mode' so that you will see things the way we do, Lilith." Guan explained.

As soon as the thought was in her mind, everything changed. The walls became blue with very faint outlines of her hangings. Slobber was mostly yellow with white eyes, and orange spikes that slowly faded to red at the tips. She looked over at Gwen, and saw that the Predator had turned yellow with orange dreadlocks that faded to red near the tips for hair.

Lilith took the mask away from her face and blinked a couple of times at the way everything had changed back to normal. Then she looked up at Gwen apologetically. "You don't look anywhere near as scary like that."

"Okay, now I am really curious to know how she sees things!" Yeyinde blurted out.

"As am I." Than-guan-thwei agreed.

Lilith handed the mask over to Thingy who quickly put it on before looking over at one of her sisters. She quickly took a step backwards, and all of the other three Yautja could detect a sudden scent of fear from her. Yeyinde quickly removed the mask and held it out to Than-guan-thwei who she'd been looking at.

"It… it's almost like you became a female version of the Dark Hunter." Yeyinde said a little breathlessly.

Than-guan-thwei slapped the mask on her head without hesitation, and immediately stepped back from her younger and smaller sister.

"Pauk!" Than-guan-thwei exclaimed in a near shout before recovering her composure. "Yeyinde is right! To Lilith's eyes we all look like some version of the Dark Hunter."

"Lilith… would you turn around for a moment. I want to see what my sisters are concerned about." Than-guan-thwei asked carefully.

Lilith looked at Thing-two nervously. She wasn't too sure about things right then, but decided to go ahead and do as she was asked.

As soon as Lilith turned and presented her back, Than-guan-thwei felt her blood run cold with rage. In angry silence, she handed the mask back to Yeyinde.

Once more, Yeyinde placed the mask on her head and froze when she saw Lilith's back. Even though she had thought that she was prepared for the sight by her training and by the recorded memories that she'd seen, she realized that she was not. Nothing could have prepared her for the sight of the scar tissue that adorned Lilith's back.

Yeyinde tore the mask away from her face because she couldn't bear to look at such an atrocity any longer. She wasn't even thinking about her actions as she thrust the mask rather forcefully at Guan, and hit her in the stomach with it. Instead, the instant the mask hit Guan; Yeyinde was covering the few steps to Lilith and got on the floor to pull the ooman pup into her grasp.

Yeyinde turned Lilith firmly around while she tried to keep from shaking because of how she felt. She understood where her emotions were coming from. The mix of dismay and anger that tore at her heart was incredible in its intensity, but she refused to allow her anger at the extremely dishonorable actions that Lilith had somehow survived, or even the dismay that Lilith had been made to endure such behavior in the first place, influence what she needed to say.

"Lilith… I want you to understand something. This is very important. Even though I know that you don't trust us right now, and given what I just saw upon your back, I realize that you might never fully trust us, but this is your home now, and we are now your family. Never again will you be made to face such dishonor. Anyone who tries to do so, will have to kill me first." Yeyinde said clearly as she looked into Lilith's eyes.

Lilith looked at Thingy and studied the Predator's face. Although she didn't know why, or understand how it worked, the ability to understand their facial expressions and body language had been implanted into her mind as part of the Yautja language. She could see that Thingy had a serious look on her face, but Lilith still couldn't be sure if the Predator was lying to her or not. That was when Lilith realized something.

'It doesn't matter if she's lying or not… there's nowhere I can go if she is, and there's nothing I can do about it either.' Lilith thought irritably.

Finally, Lilith simply nodded her head. When Thingy let go of her, she turned back to her closet and got dressed. She put on the strangely made socks, and then the pants. After that, she put on the solid black shirt that Gwen had bought her. She grabbed the heavy silver belt that went with the clothes and took it over to where she had her small grooming kit. Lilith laid the belt on the floor and grabbed her brush to do something with her bed-head hair. It wasn't until she was nearly done brushing her hair that Lilith saw Gwen's reflection in the mirror. The Predator was standing behind her with that weird mask thing on again.

When Lilith started running something through her hair while facing an object hanging on the wall, Guan got curious, and put her training mask on to see what Lilith was doing. As she looked at the object that Lilith was facing, she could see part of Lilith's body in that object. The object that the ooman pup was looking at was the strangest thing she'd ever seen. As she moved closer and leaned down to get a better look at it, Lilith's face came into view. Never had Guan seen anything like this! It was as if Lilith was inside the wall, and yet standing right in front of her at the same time. Just then, Lilith noticed her presence, and moved aside. That was when Guan saw herself.

Guan reached towards the object in sheer curiosity and saw her reflection do the same. It was the strangest object she'd ever seen. Never would she have guessed that something like this could exist, and she certainly wouldn't have thought that she'd obtained one for Lilith. It wasn't until she was actually touching the strange object that she realized it was only showing what she herself was doing. She shook her head and stepped back away from the strange thing wanting nothing more to do with such a device that she could swear was not meant for mortal use. Removing her mask, she placed it on her belt and turned her attention to her ooman daughter.


End file.
